our story
by Tossie Baadjo
Kurralkaya nganayingka, wuungkungkaya payinting-manama. Yujim-manamaya pamarrpa, kalajpa yalawu-wan, rayat-wan and pilak-wan, tjaakalpa. Yujim-manamaya kurralka, tjitja rnawu, wuungkungka. Wiya marru nyinangu. Wilytja palyanmaya. Hmm, tjitja rnawu nganayi, wangkanguya house kala watjarnu ‘tuwu-mankuwa!’ Tuwu-mankuwa, all the uncle, ngunpaya wul-lat nyinama tjiingka tatinguny. Wulkuman-wulkuman yangka luuj, wiyarringu, yawiyi.
Convent-karnaya palyanma. Laltuya palyanmaya tjiitjanu, Training Center-ngkaya palyanmaya. Training Centre-tjanu yanuya Convent-kutulpi. Convent-tjanu––. Wal, tjiingkingu, wiya, palyalkula kutja Art Centre waltjalalku. Ngurra tjurnulpiya. Art Centre-rnaya ngaratjurnu.
Tuwu-manamalatja ngayukurnu parnkurnatju nyangama, Imeldakurnu ngama. Watjarnutju, wanku ngatjan nyuntulu palyanmal! Watjalatjana kartiyangka kanya yarraya tiiwatjanu kartiya. Watjalatju orangewanpa tjitja sandpa, nganayingka little bit redpa tjitja fire. Watjanamalatju yeah, tjitjarnawu.
Makimalatju yalu ngayukurnu kidsparnatjana learnim-manu. Doimmanalpa ngan tjapitji ngurra-ngkunyurran. Nyilangkunyurran palyalkuwa. Tjuwim-manamarnatjana ngayu. Payinting-palatjana, nyuntunlpa nyurrany tuwum, tuwu-manal payinting katjalatju nganayi rnawu, pitjirnalpi nyinamal, wiyiltjaya-ngka. Yuwayi, nyamu.
A long time ago, they used to do paintings around the windbreaks and humpies. They would use ochres of all different colours: yellow ones, red ones and black–charcoal ones. This is what they used to use a long time ago, all just alongside the windbreaks. There were no houses back then. They would (just) make windbreaks (for themselves) Hmm, then they said “let’s put up houses!”. And so they put up the houses, the uncles, all of them there (helped), and my father’s mob. And all the old women too whom we have lost, they have since passed away, poor things.
From then, they stated painting around the Convent. Lots of them were making art from then on; they had been painting at the Training Centre (first), and from the Training Centre they went to the Convent. From the Convent–– well then they thought, no, let’s make an Art Centre for ourselves. And so they established a place and built the Art Centre.
I was watching my cousin and Imelda’s mother (Lucy Yukenbarri) as they painted. She said to me, ‘you really should start making it (art) now too. And we would speak with kartiya (whitefellas) too who would visit. Kartiya who come from a long way away. We would explain (to them) how orange colours relate to the sand; and here; how little bits of red represent fire. We would talk about it like so.
I also encourage my kids to learn to paint too. I (tell) them, ‘paint your tjapitji’s (mother’s father) country! You should paint your country, Nyila!’ I would show them painting. You now, you lot do the painting now, while we watch from (our) wheelchairs.
Yeah, that’s all.
MORE = https://balgoart.org.au