Mawukura is a Walmajarri man. He was born in a jiwari [small billabong]. In the hot weather time his mother went there to Punanangu from Wili (just to the north). His country surrounds Wayampajarti jila [permanent waterhole] in the northwestern area of the Great Sandy Desert. Mawukura grew up in the desert moving between the main waterholes in his country including Tapu, Kurrjalpartu, Kayalijarti, Kurraly Kurraly, Walypa, Wayampajarti, Kumpujarti and Witikarrijarti.
Mawukura was ‘nearly a man’ when his father took him to the station to escape a very large fire that was burning in his country around Tapu. A lot of people moved into the stations around this time due to droughts and bushfires. He went through law at Lumpu Lumpu and then went back to the desert with his father-in-law where he lived for approximately five years. The police arrived there once he says but they did not pick him up, they gave him food. The police continued to visit but they were frightened by kalpurtu [snake] so they kept going straight back into town. Not long after that, the same police picked up Huey Bent and took him to Cherrabun Station. Mawukura eventually left the bush possibly in the early 1960s and spent most of his time working on Nerrimah Station.
Mawukura Jimmy Nerrrimah
Painting Themes:
Men’s law and sacred stories Main jila (permanent waterhole) and jumu (soakwater) in the Great Sandy Desert: Tapu, Wayampajarti, Nyimpi, Wili and Kumpujarti ngapa (father’s country)
Ceremonial songs and dances from the Great Sandy Desert
Kumpujarti jila (father was killed here)
Awards:
1994: Aboriginal Art Prize, City of Gosnells Art Award
Collections:
Levy Kaplan Collection, Seattle USA
National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Victoria
Thomas Vroom Collection, Amsterdam
Art Gallery of Western Australia
Gabrielle Pizzi
Sir James & Lady Cruthers Collection
Ian & Sue Berndt Collections
Exhibitions:
2009: Broome Prison
2008: Fitzroy Crossing Hospital - paintings on canvas, glass film design
2007: Telstra Tourism Australia promotional corporate package