Bethany Nakamarra Langdon / Desert Fringe-rush Seed Dreaming (1A)

Artwork is accompanied by Warlukurlangu Artists (Yuendumu) Art Centre Certificate of Authenticity/Provenance

“I love all the different colours and how you make patterns and create three-dimensional artwork.”

Bethany Nakamarra Langdon was born in Yuendumu in 1989. When she was little she moved with her mother Charlotte Langdon and her step-father Joseph Egger (Austrian) to Alice Springs. Bethany went to school in Alice Springs where her favourite subject was Art. When she finished school she moved back to Yuendumu and found work at the local swimming pool. In Yuendumu she met Shaun Wilson and they have been together since 2008. They have a daughter and a son as well as Bethany’s eldest daughter, Alice, from a previous relationship.

Although Bethany learnt art at school, she was taught dot painting by her Grandmother, Maggie Napaljarri Ross, a prolific painter with Warlukurlangu Artists since 1987 and her Mother, Charlotte Napanangka Langdon who also painted with the art centre for several years. Her maternal and paternal Grandmothers taught her all about her mother’s and father’s Dreaming.

Bethany has been painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Art Corporation since 2005. She paints her mother’s dreaming stories relating to Mount Theo which include Yarla Jukurrpa (Bush Potato) and Yurrampi Jukurrpa (Honey Ant Dreaming); and her Father’s dreaming which includes Kangaroo Dreaming and Pamapardu Jukurrpa (Flying Ant Dreaming).

When Bethany is not painting and looking after her children, she likes to travel to visit her family, especially her step-father’s family in Victoria and her Mum, who lives in South Australia.

This Jukurrpa belongs to women of the Nakamarra / Napurrurla subsections and to Jakamarra / Jupurrurla men. This Dreaming is associated with a place called Jaralypari, north of Yuendumu. Lukarrara (desert fringe-rush) is a grass with an edible seed. The seeds are traditionally ground on a large stone (‘ngatinyanu’) with a smaller stone (‘ngalikirri’) to make flour. This flour is mixed with water (‘ngapa’) to make damper cakes which are cooked and eaten. In Warlpiri traditional paintings iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particular sites and other elements. Large concentric circles often represent the site of Jaralypari and also the seed bearing grass Lukurrara. ‘U’ shapes can depict the Karnta (women) collecting ‘lukarrara’ and straight lines are frequently used to portray seeds that fall down to the ground and are also collected by women using their ‘parrajas’ (wooden food carriers) and ‘karlangu’ (digging sticks).