Steven Jabaljarri Sutton / Seven Sisters (Milky Way) Dreaming (SJ138)

Steven Jabaljarri Sutton was born in Darwin, NT and grew up in Tenant Creek. After a number of years living in Kununurra (East Kimberley, WA), Steve has recently moved back to Tennant Creek to be close to his family.

Steve began painting when he was 16 years old. He combines two styles of traditional painting which makes for his very contemporary artwork. The crosshatching work represents his Grandmother’s country, the Roper River region in the Northern Territory. Many of his family members come from the Jawoyn traditional lands which stretch across 50,000 square kilometres. It is from these family members that Steve learnt to paint in the ‘dot’ style. Dot paintings are now internationally recognised as unique and integral to Australian Aboriginal Art.

Steve continues to paint for his own enjoyment as well as a way to bring people together in a shared love for aboriginal art and stories. He wants to inspire young aboriginal artists to express themselves, their beliefs, values and culture through their art work.

Steve has had 3 solo exhibitions in Brisbane and is represented in the National Gallery, Canberra.

As you look towards the sky at night you could see the Milky Way, and the seven sisters. In Aboriginal legend this story has been told in many ways from Elders down to the young generations. Forty thousand years ago, when only Aboriginal people roamed Australia, they had stories and this is one of the Dreamtime stories of the Seven Sisters.

One night the seven sisters decided to visit Earth, so they followed the Milky Way until they came to earth near a creek. They got off the Milky Way then wandered around. They saw the kangaroos, emus, snakes, bush tucker, creeks and waterholes as they wandered around looking at the country. They came upon seven hunters sitting in a circle around a waterhole. Their spears and shield sat beside them. The hunters noticed them and called them over. “Here, are you hungry?” said one of the hunters, “Have a feed and a drink of water”.

“They seem to be friendly”, said one of the sisters, so they walked over. The hunters fell in love with them at first sight, they took them all over the country, and showed them everything they could. The sun was going down and the sisters told the hunters, “When the sun goes down we must go. As soon as the Milky Way comes again to the creek where we got off, we must go back into the sky.”

The hunters were sad and did not want to let them go, the seven sisters said “don’t worry, one day we will come back and visit you again”. One of the hunters was so sad and started crying, he didn’t want them to go. The sun finally went down and the Milky Way appeared near the creek. “We must go now, said the sisters as they were running towards the Milky Way. “Stop, stop” said the hunters, but the sisters ran towards the Milky Way and climbed on. They shouted, “We must go back tonight, so people throughout the world can see us, our friends are waiting for us”. But one of the hunters grabbed hold of a sister and said, “don’t go please” and started crying, she started crying as well and said “l must go, I must go; my sisters are waiting for me, please let go.” So he let her go and she waved goodbye with tears in her eyes, and the hunter was very sad when she left.

Anyway he married one of his promised wives, and told his story to all his children and to this day, as you look towards the sky you can see a sister still trying to catch up with her other sisters. That is how seven sisters came to be as they are today.