Alistair – Ngapa Jukurrpa (Water Dreaming) – Puyurru

Sarah Napurrurla Leo

$2,500.00

Alistair was the biggest dog in Yuendumu. He was a gentle giant and his family always thought that he was a ‘sooky la la’. Dogs in Warlpiri are called ‘Jarntu’ or ‘maliki’ . Families in Yuendumu tend to own many dogs. They are good ‘marlpa’ (company). Many people think of their dogs as ‘warlalja’ (family). Dogs in Yuendumu like to follow their owners around whenever they can. Some people use their dogs to help them hunt ‘marlu’ (kangaroo) and ‘wardapi’ (goanna), among other animals. People also have dogs to protect themselves from intruders, monsters, and other things that might try to hurt them and their family. Many monsters are invisible to ‘yapa’ (Aboriginal people). However, dogs are able to see and smell them. Dogs will warn ‘yapa’ about them or steer them away from the monsters, and thereby keep them safe.

‘Jarntu’ or ‘maliki’ also feature in a number of ‘Jukurrpa’ (Dreaming) stories. One ‘maliki Jukurrpa’ (dog Dreaming) comes from a site called Pindara, southwest of Yuendumu. Another dog Dreaming story, ‘malikijarra Jukurrpa’ (two dogs Dreaming), comes from country adjacent to Warlarla (Rabbit Flat). This site is part of a long Dreaming track that stretches from Yarrajalpa in the extreme west of Warlpiri country to Warlaku (Ali Curung) in the east. This Dreaming story describes proper conduct in families and marriages.

Sarah Napurrurla Leo was born in 1971 on Napperby Station, an area located 122 km north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. Sarah later moved with her parents from the Napperby homestead area to the Laramba Community, 205 km north-west of Alice Springs. The Laramba Community began in 1983 on the Napperby Station Homestead but moved to its present location in 1984. Sarah’s parents have both passed away. She has two sisters, Selma Napurrurla Leo and Katherine Napurrurla Leo and one brother Clement Japurrurla Leo. Her remaining Grandmother is Rita Nangala Dixon.