Born at Anningie in 1960, Janet Long is a Warlpiri speaker whose traditional country is Wantapari. Her aunts May and Molly Napurrula showed her the body paint designs for Wantapari Dreaming. She began painting on small boards in 1989 when the Willowra store first began stocking paint and canvas to supply local artists. Her half brother, Malcolm Jagamara , showed her how to paint in the new medium. On canvas, she paints Frog, Snake, Orphan Child and Witchetty Grub Dreamings. Janet Long was the Literacy Worker at Willowra School, producing bi-lingual literature for use in the teaching program. To that point, she had lived all her life in Willowra, but her bi-lingualism and skill in dealing with western systems were increasingly drawing her into wider contacts, including research assistance in the gathering of biographical data on the Willowra artists for this dictionary. All statements in this dictionary from Willowra artists were gathered and translated into English by Janet.

Writers:

Johnson, Vivien

Date written:

1994

Last updated:

2011