Tjukurrtjanu: Origins of Western Desert Art

Charlie Wartuma Tjungurrayi was one of the friendliest and most helpful people I have ever met. In many ways he was a naturally good teacher who enjoyed introducing anyone with a genuine interest, to his country and discussing other aspects of traditional Pintupi culture. (R. G. (Dick) Kimber, 2011)

Born at Tjitururrnga west of Walungurru, Wartuma's family was one of the first of the Pintupi to move eastwards, settling in Haasts Bluff in 1930. Here in 1936, Wartuma was given the name Charlie by which he was subsequently known.

He was employed as a builder at Hermannsburg before working on military camps around Adelaide River, south of Darwin during World War II. After the war he travelled by camel on hunting trips to Pintupi country where dingo scalps would be exchanged for rations and also brought food to his countrymen and women still living nomadically in the desert.

Wartuma and his wife Tatali Nangala moved to Papunya at its inception, where he became one of the founding Papunya artists. He produced iconic depictions of Yam, Water and Snake and due to his familiarity and ease with Europeans he became a spokesman for the Pintupi artists.

Wartuma travelled with Andrew Crocker to England and Hong Kong in 1982 and to Amsterdam in 1983, where he participated in a performance of Nightsea Crossing with performance artists Ulay and Marina Abramovic. He was the first Papunya artist to have a retrospective exhibition, held at Orange Regional Gallery in 1987, where his well known statement was first published: 'If I don't paint this story some whitefella might come and steal my country.'