Yanpiyarti Ned Cox | National Museum of Australia

Portrait of Yanpiyarti Ned Cox. - click to view larger image

born about 1938, Walmajarri language group, Jupurrula skin group, Ngumpan community, Fitzroy Crossing, Ngurra Artists

My father and that old man Wirrali they brought that Majarrka [dance] with them. Those old people had big mob of dance then.

Ned grew up around old Billiluna station. His family travelled to Christmas Creek station to escape a rough station manager at Billiluna, and stayed there.

Ned is the senior custodian for Majarrka, a skilled carver and was instrumental in the establishment of Wangkatjungka and Ngumpan communities.

A tall conical headdress made of plant fibres attached to a firm circular ring at the base and covered with pigmented fluffy plant fibre with feathers at the top. The ring at the base is pigmented red and the plant fibre stalks are attached around it. The fibres are bunched together towards the top and wrapped with maroon coloured string. The plant stalks are covered with fluffy plant fibre which is decorated with red pigment in vertical stripes on the bottom half and cream at the top. At the top of the headdress is a bunch of fluffy and spiky brown, tan and grey feathers. - click to view larger image — *Pukurti* (tall Majarrka headdress)

A brown rough bark cylinder covered with an outer layer of cream downy fibre which has been decorated with a red brown pigment. The pigmented design is a horizontal band with eight evenly spaced vertical lines extending from the band to one edge. The inner bark surface has a patchy covering of red brown pigment. The cylinder is filled with light green leaves. - click to view larger image — *Kumunungku* (square Majarrka headdress)

A red pigmented and fibre decorated oval shaped shield, with a flat outer surface and a convex back with the handle carved in the solid wood. The flat surface has slight rounding at the edges, and is pigmented red and covered with fluffy cream plant fibre, which features a strip of red pigmented plant fibre down the centre. The back of the shield has outlines in black and white stripes at both ends in the shape of a duck bill, joined by a black and white stripe across the handle. The handle has a deep jagged crack at one side which does not appear go all the way through. - click to view larger image — Shield

A hooked wooden boomerang decorated to look like a bird. The boomerang is painted red all over and is plain on the flat side. On the convex side the corner of the hook has a black circle with a white dot inside it plus white dots around part of the edge. There is an uneven indent on the hook. The point of the hook has a black stripe and a black curve outlined with white dots, while at the edge of the corner there is a wavy black line edged in white dots and a black semicircle. At the neck and base of the handle are two black stripes edged and divided by lines of white dots. - click to view larger image — *Wirlki* (‘number 7’ boomerang)

A hooked wooden boomerang with a curved handle, decorated to look like a bird. The boomerang is painted red all over and is plain on the flat side. On the convex side the corner of the hook has a black circle with a white dot inside it plus white dots around part of the edge. The point of the hook has a black stripe and a black curve outlined with white dots, while at the edge of the corner there is a wavy black line edged in white dots and a black semicircle. At the neck and base of the handle are two black stripes edged and divided by lines of white dots. Below the neck of the handle there is a horizontal jagged crack in the wood. - click to view larger image — *Wirlki* (‘number 7’ boomerang)

Katapi Pulpurru Davies

Kurpaliny Bessie Doonday

Jarinyanu David Downs

Jugarda Dulcie Gibbs

Kurltjunyintja Jackie Giles

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