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25-272 – Ngamaru Bidu

$3,245.00

1 in stock

Ngamaru Bidu
Acrylic on Canvas
76 x 122 cm
Year: 2025
25-272

Wikiri

“That’s a ngurra (home Country, camp); my mummy’s, grandmother, two grandfathers’ and uncle’s ngurra.” 

– Ngamaru Bidu

Wikiri (Midway Well) is a large soak and claypan located southeast of Parnngurr Aboriginal community. The soak provides a source of fresh water all year around, but when it has not been visited for a time, shrubs and grass must be dug out of the way to reach the arterial water. A windmill has since been built at Wikiri to access the permanent underground water available there. 

During the Jukurrpa (Dreaming), Wikiri was visited by Wirnpa, one of the most powerful of the rainmaking jila (snake) men, along with another ancestral man. The rocks, foods and seeds found at Wikiri were left by Wirnpa. Wikiri is also associated with Jaramarra, another rainmaking jila. Both Wirnpa and Jaramarra continued their travels toward the Great Sandy Desert’s Percival Lakes region, at the northernmost boundary of Martu Country. 

Wikiri is an important site in Ngamaru’s Country, and forms part of the area which she knew intimately and travelled extensively with her family in her youth. During the pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) period, Martu would traverse very large distances annually in small family groups, moving seasonally from water source to water source, and hunting and gathering bush tucker as they went. At this time knowledge of water sources was critical for survival, and today Martu Country is still defined in terms of the location and type of water. Each of the hundreds of claypans, rockholes, waterholes, soaks and springs found in the Martu desert homelands is known by name, location, quality and seasonal availability through real life experience and the recounting of Jukurrpa narratives.

SKU 82364890a Category Tag

Martumili Artists warns visitors that our website includes images and artworks of Artists who have passed away which may cause distress to some Indigenous people.

Martumili Artists acknowledges the Nyiyaparli and Martu people as the Traditional Owners of the land we live and work on. We also acknowledge the Traditional Owners throughout our country and our Elders; past, present and emerging.