Bush Onion Dreaming

Born in 1960 at Anninie in Warntapari, Janet Long Nakamarra grew up living a traditional lifestyle with her family. Observing her aunt’s May and Molly Napurrula introduced to artistic depiction, and it was there she learnt how to paint traditional body paint design for her Warntapari Dreamings. 

Janet is the daughter of fellow artist, Nora Long Nakamarra, sister to Doreen Dickson Nakamarra and half sister to well known and talented artist Malcolm Maloney Jagamarra. After leaving school she began assisting the elders in the community in producing books in Warlpiri language whilst also studying to be a teacher. These books “Warlpiri Women’s Voices” were translated into both English and Warlpiri. Through her hard work and determination she gained the status of linguist with her people and began to teach as a literacy worker at the Willowra School.

Janet first began to paint in 1989 first on small board, then later with acrylic on canvas, and in 2003 was granted permission by the Warlpiri elders to paint stories about Ngapa (of Water Dreaming). In these paintings Janet depicts the underground water flow at Warntapari. It is a place where ceremonies are performed. In her paintings she uses traditional iconography to represent soakages in the land. Her paintings are detailed with intricate dotting which flows across the canvas. She uses a topographical view of the land to connect the water soakages and the travelling that her ancestors had to make to ensure their survival and access to water.Other subjects of Janet’s artworks include Ngapa, Witchetty Grub, Snake, Frog, Women’s Ceremony and Seed Dreaming. For Warlpiri women from Central Australia during ceremonies to pay homage to the ancestors the women will paint their upper bodies, arms and breasts with markings in ochre paste. The markings themselves symbolise the actions of the ancestors.