A major contribution to understanding Aboriginal women’s visual art and women’s ceremonial performance in Central Australia is presented in a new book released by Aboriginal Studies Press.
Yawulyu, Art and song in Warlpiri women’s ceremony brings to light meticulous research conducted in the early 1980s and returns this valuable cultural heritage to the Warlpiri community at Willowra in the Northern Territory.
Yawulyu is a joint effort led by ethnochoreologist and teacher Megan Morais in collaboration with the late Lucy Nampijinpa Martin and 11 Warlpiri women with authority and knowledge of yawulyu, and with the support of musicologist/linguist Myfany Turpin.
The book examines the role of yawulyu in Warlpiri society and culture and presents transcriptions and translations of the songs and reproductions of the body designs painted on Warlpiri women.
After viewing their 1981 designs gathered by Megan and listening to recordings of the songs, Willowra women not only wanted all of the designs and songs reproduced in a book, they also wanted readers to be able to listen to the songs.
Supported by grants from the Australian Research Council, Australian Academy of the Humanities and ASP’s parent body the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), the authors carried out the monumental task of providing musical notations for each song, transcribing and translating the recordings with the assistance of Mary Laughren and Theresa Napurrurla Ross.
The remarkable result is presented in Yawulyu via QR codes next to the words and musical notation of each song. This provides a link for listening to the songs at the Pacific Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures (PARADISEC).
The songs are paired with Megan Morais’s beautiful pencil drawings of the body designs and accompanied by descriptions of seated dance moves.
With a total of 191 women’s ceremonial body designs reproduced, more than 140 songs and many Jukurrpa stories shown in the book, Yawulyu is an epic achievement. It is a testimony to cross-cultural collaboration and the power of the AIATSIS Collection to support communities to preserve their cultural heritage.
Asked to summarise Yawulyu, Megan Morais said the songs and designs of the Dreamtime (Jukurrpa) as performed in 1981-82 can help us understand the historical importance of this cultural heritage and better understand current changes.
"Cultural heritage of the Warlpiri women in Willowra is documented in this book and as several of the co-authors have stated, this heritage is important for next generations and for an understanding of Warlpiri culture,” Megan said.
Welcoming the release of Yawulyu, award-winning Arrernte/Kalkadoon, filmmaker Rachel Perkins said Warlpiri had one of the largest speaker populations of an Australian language, yet the ceremonial practices are at risk of being forgotten.
“This book illustrates how archival materials can be a buttress to support Warlpiri women's performance traditions,” she said.
Yawulyu will be launched in Wirliyajarryi/Willowra on 27 May and at the NT Writers Festival in Mparntwe/Alice Springs on 1 June. Proceeds from the sales of Yawulyu will be returned to the Warlpiri community.
Photo captions (for images in 'Media assets' shared folder):
Image title: Yawulyu coauthors 2019.
Caption: Yawulyu coauthors 2019: A group of Willowra women, some of whom are Yawulyu coauthors in 2019 – Kay Napanangka, Lucy Nampijinpa Martin (coauthor), Megan Morais (lead author), and Selina Napanangka Williams (coauthor).
Image title: Megan Morais author portrait.
Caption: Megan Morais author portrait.
Image title: Myf Turpin author Willowra_2021.
Caption: Myfany Turpin author photo taken at Willowra in 2021
Image title: Team documenting yawulyu 1981.
Caption: Team documenting yawulyu in 1981: Lucy Nampijinpa Martin, Maudie Nungarrayi, Molly Nungarrayi Martin, Megan Morais, Margaret Nampijinpa, Maudie Napaljarri.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Reena Balding, Publishing Manager ASP
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
P +61 2 6129 3934
E commsmedia@aiatsis.gov.au
Yawulyu — Art and song in Warlpiri women’s ceremony is available from the AIATSIS Shop and all good bookshops — RRP $59.99, 320pp, hardcover
Aboriginal Studies Press (ASP) is the publishing arm of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). Shop.aiatsis.gov.au