Rambo
Rambo is a Dingo. He was near an outstation 150km from Yuendumu. Children hunted him but when he was brought to the community they decided that it was better for him to be with the Dog Lady. He has to learn to trust some people and now he enjoys coming and going from the house.
- Acrylic on metal
- Dimensions: 15cm x 12cm
This original work of art supports a community-based social program keeping animals and people in Yuendumu healthy, safe and happy. Dogs in Warlpiri are called ‘Jarntu’ or ‘maliki’ . Families in Yuendumu tend to own many dogs. They are good ‘marlpa’ (company). Many people think of their dogs as ‘warlalja’ (family).
Dogs in Yuendumu like to follow their owners around whenever they can. Some people use their dogs to help them hunt ‘marlu’ (kangaroo) and ‘wardapi’ (goanna), among other animals. People also have dogs to protect themselves from intruders, monsters, and other things that might try to hurt them and their family. Many monsters are invisible to ‘yapa’ (Aboriginal people). However, dogs are able to see and smell them. Dogs will warn ‘yapa’ about them or steer them away from the monsters, and thereby keep them safe.
‘Jarntu’ or ‘maliki’ also feature in a number of ‘Jukurrpa’ (Dreaming) stories. One ‘maliki Jukurrpa’ (dog Dreaming) comes from a site called Pindara, southwest of Yuendumu. Another dog Dreaming story, ‘malikijarra Jukurrpa’ (two dogs Dreaming), comes from country adjacent to Warlarla (Rabbit Flat). This site is part of a long Dreaming track that stretches from Yarrajalpa in the extreme west of Warlpiri country to Warlaku (Ali Curung) in the east. This Dreaming story describes proper conduct in families and marriages.
Lajamanu has a population of around 900 Warlpiri people. The older generation see Warnayaka as an avenue to achieve a number of needs that are present in their community.
At the centre these elders still create their dot paintings. The most important thing expressed by members, is the need to preserve and pass on the cultural significance of Warlpiri, the culture of the people of Lajamanu, which encompasses not only art, but includes language, social structure, law and country. In doing so it is understood that excellence in art, prosperity from art sales, employment opportunities and preservation of pride in being Warlpiri will result.
The art centre is a Warlpiri corporation and is staffed mainly by the children of the older generation of Indigenous Lajamanu residents who remember their first contact with white Australia. They maintain the computerised data base and run the art centre production. Older and younger community members produce Aboriginal dot paintings and make wooden artefacts.
The centre is a place for a cup of tea and a song and dance, and then a trip into the Spinifex desert to look for goanna and lizards or to collect bush coconut, bush banana, yams and bush honey from native bees.
Here at Laundry Gallery we always endeavour to get your stunning purchases to you as quickly and safely as possible! With that in mind, please note:
1. Monday is the day we do our shipping/postage each week unless Express Shipping is requested at the time of purchase. If for some reason there is a delay and your item isn’t able to be shipped the Monday after you purchased it we will be in touch.
2. All artworks shipped from Laundry Gallery are insured and require a signature on delivery. A tracking number is be provided as part of our shipping process to the contact details you provide.
3. Whilst we use Australia Post services where possible, for large, heavy or high value artworks we use a third party courier service. We will advise you of this at the time of purchase, or get in touch as soon as possible if on reflection using a courier seems more appropriate for your artwork. Once we have organised a quote it will be the courier who gets in touch to organise delivery times closer to the date, but we are always here to support you throughout the process!
4. If the artwork you have purchased is part of a current or future Laundry Gallery exhibition, we will need to wait until after the exhibition period has ended before we can send the artwork to you.
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