Weaver Jack

Yulparija Language Group

"With Language"

120 x 60cms

Acrylic on canvas

Ref No: BID25906

Weaver says "We sit down near that Jila (living water). My grandma, my sister, my husband all the uncles, mother,father too all in this country. I been grow up in this one been come young woman."

This painting shows Weaver and her traditional country in the Great Sandy Desert in W.A. near the Percival Lakes and Well 33 of the Canning Stock Route. Weaver marks herself on the canvas as the t shaped yellow form and has her wonga (language) with her, which is Yulparija. Weaver's language is the circles along side and above her.

Weaver was born circa 1928 at Lungurang, a jila (living water) in the Great Sandy Desert. This place is near Wirnpa country on the Canning Stock Route. Weaver grew up in this country and travelled around with her two mothers and father before being married off to her promised husband. After mining started in the Pilbara much of the valuable underground creek system was disturbed, creating a devastating drought in the Yulparija country. Many people died and others moved away. With her husband and children Weaver continued to travel further from home in search of water. Eventually they came to be with Weaver’s sister at Bidyadanga, this was in the late 1960’s. She spent most of her life living a traditional lifestyle and is considered to be the senior law woman for the Yulparija people.