Janet Nyunmitji Forbes

Janet Nyunmitji Forbes
First Nations Australian, born 1962; lives and works in Papulankutja/Blackstone, Western Australia
Language group: Ngaanyatjarra 

Wati Kutjara—The goanna men 2021
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Courtesy of the artist and Papulankutja Artists, Western Australia

Artist statement:

This is the story of two powerful magicians who came to the Ngaanyatjarra Lands from far away to the west:

‘These two men are always together, always camping together. They do all sorts of tricks when they travel across the lands as they stop from place to place. When they reached Wirtapi Wara (Long Black or Blackstone Range) they argued about which way to go around. One went around the south side and the other the north side.

At a distance it seemed they didn’t recognise each other or perhaps they were just pretending not to recognise each other! It is also said that at Papulankutja they tricked each other by changing their appearance at the same time so they had no chance to recognise each other. The name Papulankutja comes from the Ngaanyatjarra word meaning, ‘to stare without recognising each other’.