Maringka Baker

See Graeme Marshall’s essay on the artist in D. Clarke and S. Jenkins, Culture Warriors: Australian Indigenous Art Triennial, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, 2007, in which related paintings of similar scale and palette are illustrated.

This painting is sold with accompanying Tjungu Palya Arts documenation with descriptive notes that read in part, "Papa tjuta njinanyi kapipitingka. (all the dingoes are sitting around the rock hole). Wanampi pitanyi pika (the serpent men came and were looking for a fight). They came from Mutitjulu way. This country is Amangu Papaku Tjukurpa (Dingo Dreaming). Amangu is country to the south of Nyapari and Irrunytju close to Watarru.

There is a lot of story for this country. Tjukurpa Mulapa (this creation story is true). I travelled this country a lot as a child. We would set out from Kata Ala and would travel on foot. No motor car then. After visiting this country we would return to sit down at Kata Ala. There were a lot of families living there then. Before the Wingellina Community was established. In the old days the people were always travelling. Everybody was looking for bushfoods. Sometimes they would get mushrooms, yellow ones. We call them Wintjinara."