Walungurru
2011
acrylic on canvas
175 x 280 cm
Lepley Collection, Perth
© The artist and Ernabella Arts
Photograph by Victor France Photographics
I paint my father’s country, Ilpili, west of Mt Leibig east of Kintore.
A site beside the road heading towards Kintore.
There are huge sandhills and two claypans.
There is a creek, Wanampi tjara, guarded by a rainbow serpent.
The Wanampi, rainbow serpent, is chasing a trouble maker, cutting a track through the sandhills. The Wanampi is looking for that man. He did the wrong thing and he is running into sand hill country. The Wanampi made that road and he brought the water with him. There was no water here before, but it is still there now.
Little bit to the east are the Kungka Kutjara, the Two Women Tjukurpa. They are sitting and talking. Wati Nyiru, the man, is a big rock on the hill looking down at them. The women were cleaning out the soak, digging to find water. They made the rockhole there.
I was born in Haasts Bluff. I went to see my father’s country when I was a young man, my hair was still black.
Pepai Jangala Carroll
Born: 1950, Haasts Bluff, NT
Pitjantjatjara language group
Art Centre: Ernabella Arts, Pukatja
Pepai Carroll was born in his father’s Country in Haasts Bluff, Northern Territory, and later moved to the newly created settlement at Papunya. His family later travelled to their homelands near Eagle Bore, north of Ernabella in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, where he has lived since. He became a prominent person in the community working as Chairperson and the Director of Nganampa Health. His wife and fellow artist, Alison (Milyika) Carroll, also holds prominent positions on the board of Ernabella Arts and is currently Director of Ananguku Arts in Adelaide.
Pepai has painted with Ernabella Arts since 2009 and has recently also began creating ceramics alongside other artists at Ernabella. He has exhibited nationally in group exhibitions. Most recently his paintings were included in Tarnanthi: the inaugural Festival of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art held in Adelaide in 2015, while his ceramic works were included in the 2016 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art, Magic Object.
