The painting presents stories related to the country around Lake Macdonald, called Kaakuratinja in Pintupi language.
During the mythical Time of Creation, a large group of Tingari men arrived here. A violent hail storm killed them all. The Tingari were Ancestral Beings who, while roaming the earth, were responsible for the initiation ceremonies of young boys at specific locations. Due to the sacred/secret nature of the subject, the full meaning of this image cannot be revealed.
Willy Tjungurrayi (ok. 1930–2018) has created a topographic view of this country, which is characterised by sand dunes called Tali. The dotted wavy lines drawn across the image represent the sand hills and violent hailstorm that killed the Tingari Ancestors. Concentric circles mark places where the Ancestors camped, and "u" shapes represent seated men.
The artist was born around 1930 and is an Aboriginal Elder respected for his traditional knowledge and artistic work. In his paintings, like most Pintupi artists, he reduces details and limits his palette to basic earth colours. His works are included in Australian and international collections.
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