Willy Nakanbala Tjungarayi was the first child to be born to his parents Nurundu Tjapaltjarri and Yalkitjarra Nakamarra after the family’s arrival in Haasts Bluff from the bush. Willy attended school in Haasts Bluff and was initiated and later married there. Willy’s sons Mervyn and Elkin now live in town and he rarely sees them. His only surviving sibling, his sister Doris Bush, lives in Papunya.

As a young man Willy worked for the cattle station at Haasts Bluff “using horse, camel, donkey – we learn there – driving truck for government” and later drove cattle to Alice Springs and “put 'em on the train to Adelaide”. In the late 1950s Willy worked “for Harry Geise” at Papunya on the building program for the new settlement. He also helped put in a bore at Kintore in 1981 to replace the hand pump with which the community had started.

Willy started painting in about 2006, working initially for a private dealer who was operating in the Papunya community, later painting for the community art centre Papunya Tjupi, established in 2007. Willy said he paints because he enjoys it. When asked what he would like to do if he could, his answer was “follow my track” – meaning the tracks of the spiders depicted in his paintings who made a “road” travelling underground west from Nyirrpi with the wallabies following behind them. Willy’s Tjupurrula cousin, who is 'policeman’ or kurdungurlu for these Dreamings, and his uncle taught Willy these stories.

Writers:

Papunya Tjupi Arts

Date written:

2009

Last updated:

2011