| Luurn Willie Kew uses ochre pigments to map out his birthplace at Nyirla Rockhole in the Great Sandy Desert. He paints the long pointed rock formation that represents the beak of the legendary Kingfisher Spirit, Luurn, which created the land forms and then delivered the first people to the rockhole. The artist depicts the rocky landscape that channels life-giving water down into the underground reservoir. Willie Kew is amongst the last bearers of the creation stories from Nyirla country, which gives his works both great urgency and great energy.
Willie Kew says of this painting: “Nyirla, that is Willie Kew country - Luurn, Nyirla. That’s a good country. Two rockholes are there - water runs down from top of the hill, from top of rocks, fills him up, big waterhole. Biggest place, biggest rockhole, Nyirla, with trees and rocks all around. When he is full, all the water runs back the same way. All pouring into that rockhole, and running off again. The Kingfisher Luurn travelled there in the early days (Dreamtime). That is Living Water. That is family rockhole. It’s a secret place, from old people.
Willy Kew and Bluey Thomas (Willie’s late brother) - our country. We grow up together. In sandhill country, big tree. We been live there, shade of that tree. We been camp there, all over. Willie been born there, and grow up there. Lots of his family been pass away there - his father, two uncles, when he was a little boy, they been pass away. When we grow up, we been come here to Fitzroy Valley, cattle station country. My Father been bring us. My uncle grew me up here, at Fitzroy, long time ago. Willy Kew is Luurn. Nyirla is in my country. My father’s country and my mother’s country.”
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