Winnie Reid Nakamarra / Kungka Kutjarra (WR001)

Winnie Reid Nakamarra was born c. 1961 in Alice Springs.

Winnie is the forth child of one of Australia’s best known Indigenous artists, the late Makinti Napanangka. In 2008 Makinti won the $40,000 Telstra Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Award. Winnie’s father is Nyukuti Tjupurrula, brother of artist Nosepeg Tjupurrula. Winnie has three older siblings who also paint, Ginger Tjakamarra, Narrabri Narrapayi and Jacqueline Daaru.

Winnie moved with her family to Kintore when it was established in the early 1980’s. She paints women’s ceremonial stories associated with the rockhole site of Lupulnga.

This work incorporates designs associated with the travels of the Kungka Kutjarra (two women), Ancestor figures whose travels cover great distances from Pitjantjajara country, then north east through to and beyond Haasts Bluff and Papunya. The wandering lines that feature in the painting depict the swirling hair string belts and skirts worn by the women during the ceremonies that were performed as they travelled over the vast land. Hair string belts are often used symbolically to represent the act of women dancing. The belts, worn above the hips have dangling strings often with feathers attached which swing about as the women dance, highlighting their attractiveness.

This design was made famous by senior Pintubi woman, the late Makinti Napanangka, Winnie’s mother.