Travelling Past

Debra McDonald Nangala

Debra McDonald Nangala, was born in October 1963 at Papunya Camp. She is the granddaughter of the late Shorty Lungkata Tjungurrayi (c.1920-1987) who was a Pintubi man from Lake MacDonald in the Gibson Desert, Central Australia. In 1948 he moved to Haasts Bluff and Papunya, and both Debra and Shorty’s stories refer to his country of Lake MacDonald. Debra was married to the nephew of Turkey Tolson and son of the great female artist Mitjil and Debra is the niece of the famous Clifford Possum. The Travelling Past story relating to her own family story, when they travelled over great distances from the Gibson Desert to come into the desert settlements.