Mantararr Rosie Williams
Born about 1943, died 2012
Manyjilyjarra, Mangala language groups, Milangka skin group
Punmu Community
Martumili Artists
Mantararr was born at Kurupu, near Kurturarra in the Percival lakes. After her father died at Karlamilyi (Rudall River), Mantararr and her sisters, Jugarda Dulcie Gibbs and Muni Rita Simpson, met up with some Martu people who told them that their relatives were at Jigalong and they moved to the mission. In 1982 Mantararr returned to her homelands at Punmu where she lives today with her children and grandchildren.
Minyipuru
2007, by Rita Simpson, Rosie Williams, Dulcie Gibbs
acrylic on linen, 300×125 cm
Martumili Artists
National Museum of Australia
Sisters Muni, Rosie and Dulcie grew up in the Country depicted in this painting. But it is the story of the Seven Sisters or Minyipuru, one of Martu women’s most important Jukurrpa narratives, which they have described here. In this story, the old man Yurla, who had been pursuing the sisters, captured one of the women at Pangkapini, between wells 35 and 36. The Minyipuru tricked him and rescued her.
Poor old fella, he had a rough time. He was trying and trying and trying.
The Minyipuru promised to stay with the old man Yurla but, when he returned from collecting wood, they were floating above his head, teasing him. Yurla made a ladder but the sisters pushed it over and laughed at him. When he collapsed, exhausted, they rescued their sister and flew away.
