21-68 – Ngamaru Bidu, Mabel Mitutu Wakarta (dec.)

“The old people, they sit down and paint and tell stories of the old days, and we listen and learn.”

– Corban Clause Williams

Transfer of cultural knowledge through visual arts is an important way for Martu artists to keep their culture strong. Younger Martu artists typically begin painting with their parents, grandparents and extended family, thus fostering an organic process of learning, not only about painting techniques, but also specific locations, family histories, traditional ways of life, bush tucker and Jukurrpa (Dreaming). Senior Martu artists also often paint together where a story of mutual significance is conveyed, and in this way have produced many of the stunning, large scale collaborative works for which Martumili Artists are most well known.