Jacob Jungarrayi Spencer / Snake Vine Dreaming (1579-17)

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

“I like my country, it is important.” ⠀

Jacob Jungarrayi Spencer was born in 1964, in Yuendumu. When he was young he attended the local school before going to Alice Springs where he completed his schooling at Yirara College, an Aboriginal boarding school. He continued his education training as a bookkeeper with the Yuendumu Council. In 1985 he moved to Nyirripi where he still lives and works with the Council. ⠀⠀

Both of Jacob’s parents have passed away, but he is the adopted son of another highly successful artist from Yuendumu, Paddy Japaljarri Stewart. He has two sisters, Rahab and Ruth and two brothers, Edgar and Lloyd. ⠀⠀

Jacob is married to Joy Nangala Brown. They have two children, a daughter and son and grandchildren.  His daughter Debbie Napaljarri Brown also paints with Warlukurlangu Artists.⠀⠀

Jacob began working with Warlukurlangu Artists in 1997. He paints his father’s and his grandfather’s Jukurrpa stories, Dreamings that stretch back at least fifty millennia. He particularly likes to paint Wardapi Jukurrpa (Goanna Dreaming) from his father’s side and also because the goanna is his totem. ⠀⠀

When Jacob is not painting or working he likes sport and hunting for bush tucker.

The country associated with this Snakevine Dreaming is located at Yanjirlpiri (meaning ‘star’ in Warlpiri) (Mt. Nicker) to the west of Yuendumu. The owners of this Dreaming are Napaljarri / Nungarrayi women and Japaljarri / Jungarrayi men.

Snakevine is a green creeper that climbs up the trunks and branches of trees and shrubs. The plant is found on sandy spinifex plains and sandhills. Snakevine is frequently depicted in paintings due to its many uses and its great ceremonial importance. The vine can be used as a shoulder strap to carry coolamons and water carriers. The plant also has medicinal uses; its vines are used as tourniquets, and its leaves and vines are used as bandages for wounds. Warlpiri sometimes also chew the leaves to treat severe colds. Snakevine stems can be pounded between stones and tied around the forehead to cure headaches. In men’s initiation it is used to tie the ceremonial poles to the shins of the dancing initiates, and to dancing boards to dancers’ bodies. The initiation ceremonies associated with the Snakevine Dreaming at Yanjirlpiri are for the sons and grandsons of Japaljarri and Jungarrayi men. Napaljarri and Nungarrayi women dance at these ceremonies, and then look away and block their ears when the men dance. This ‘witi’ ceremony is performed at night under the stars.