Don Morton Japangardi

Don Morton Japangardi, also known as Don Morton Tjapangati, is a respected Warlpiri artist from Yuelamu (Mount Allan), a remote Aboriginal community located on the western edge of the Northern Territory’s Tanami Desert. This region, rich in cultural and spiritual significance, is home to the Warlpiri people and holds generations of ancestral stories embedded in the land.

Don Morton is a senior custodian of his Country, responsible for maintaining and passing on the Dreaming stories that connect his people to the land. His art is a direct expression of this responsibility. Through his paintings, he shares important traditional narratives that convey the deep spiritual knowledge of his homeland. His works often feature ceremonial sites, ancestral journeys, and elements from the natural world—such as tracks of animals or formations in the desert—that reflect the intricate relationship between people and place.

The art movement in Yuelamu began to take shape in the 1980s, shortly after the land was returned to its Traditional Owners. Don Morton was among the early artists to take up painting in this new wave of creative expression. His style reflects a deep respect for cultural law, using detailed dot work and symbolic motifs to represent sacred stories. These stories are not merely illustrations—they are maps of Country, guides to understanding kinship, law, and survival.

Don Morton’s legacy is also carried on by members of his family, including his daughter, Loretta Morton Napanangka, who continues to paint in the tradition of her father and community. Together, their work helps preserve Warlpiri culture and ensure that the stories of their ancestors are shared with the wider world.