Learn more about Jeanie Napangardi Lewis
Jeanie Napangardi Lewis was born around 1950 on Mount Doreen Station, an extensive cattle-breeding property in the Northern Territory of Australia. Her traditional country, Mina Mina, is close to Mount Doreen Station and to the west of Yuendumu (an Aboriginal community that lies 290 km to the northwest of Alice Springs). After living in or near Mina Mina, Jeanie's family moved to Yuendumu and then to Nyirrpi, where Jeanie has now lived for many years.
Jeanie began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation in Yuendumu in 2005. She paints her Dreaming stories; the one that features constantly is Mina Mina Jukurrpa (Mina Mina Dreaming), depicting the trees, birds and bush potatoes that surround the waterholes of her country (Mina Mina). Jeanie has two sisters, Valerie and Phyllis, a son, Eric, and a daughter, Minnie Napangardi. Her husband, Mickey Jampijinpa Singleton, is an artist who also paints with Warlukurlangu Artists. Jeanie continues to paint through the art centre whenever she visits Yuedumu from Nyirripl or when the centre drops off canvas and paint for artists in Nyirripi.
The term ‘Lappi Lappi,’ is the name given to a rock hole near Lake Hazlett. about 90km northwest of Lake MacKay in Western Australia. Although the country does not belong to Christine’s skin group, the Napanangka, the rock hole at Lappi Lappi is a permanent source of water, and surrounded by country rich in bush tucker. In the time of the Jukurrpa (Dreamtime,) a rainbow serpent, called the ‘warnayarra,’made Lappi Lappi it’s home, and it travelled underground between the various rock holes. One day, women were gathered at the rock hole with their children, singing and dancing, when they disturbed the ‘warnayarra,’ and it travelled silently towards them under the water. When it reached the edge of the rock hole, it rose out of the water, and ate them all.
