Untitled Scarf by Yalti Napangati

Yalti Napangati’s untitled work refers to the site Marrapinti, a rockhole and soakage water site, west of Kiwirrkura in Western Australia. During ancestral times, a large group of women gathered at this site on their travels to the east. The women stopped at Marrapinti to make nose bones, also known as marrapinti, which are worn through a hole in the septum. These ornamental nose bones were originally worn by men and women but are now only inserted by the older generations during ceremonial occasions. At the conclusion of the ceremony at Marrapinti, the women continued their travels east to Ngaminya and then on to Wilkinkarra (Lake McKay).

The symbols in this painting represent the geographical features of the landscape traversed by the ancestral women along their journey, and the bush foods they harvested along the way. Yalti is known for her classical colour palette and complex symbolism that combine to great effect, creating works with a compelling visual narrative.