Jorna Napurrurla Nelson

Early Life and Background

Jorna Napurrurla Nelson, an Aboriginal Warlpiri woman, was born between 1928 and 1932 near Mt Doreen, located west of Yuendumu in the Northern Territory of Australia. She passed away in Nyirripi in 2011. Jorna was a native Warlpiri speaker, spending her life in both Yuendumu—a remote Aboriginal community approximately 290 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs—and, at times, in Nyirripi, which is situated a further 160 kilometres north-west of Yuendumu. Mt Doreen lies between these two communities.

Traditional Lifestyle

As a child, Jorna lived a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle with her parents. Together, they travelled across the desert country, learning about the land and its stories in the traditional Warlpiri way. This upbringing connected her deeply to her country and its customs.

Community Settlement

In 1946, the community of Yuendumu was established, followed by the founding of a Baptist mission there in 1947. By 1955, Jorna and her family, along with many other Warlpiri people, had settled in the town, moving from their traditional nomadic way of life.

Artistic Journey

Jorna began painting with Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation in 1987. Her artworks depicted Jukurrpa stories, or Dreamings, from both her mother’s and father’s sides. These Dreamings are directly connected to her ancestral land, its unique features, and the plants and animals inhabiting it. The stories she painted were passed down through many generations, preserving ancient traditions and knowledge.

Connection to Country and Food

Jorna’s paintings often focused on sacred sites and on the animals and plants commonly found in the country surrounding her community. The practice of hunting and gathering bush tucker—native foods—remains important today. Jorna enjoyed going out hunting with her family and friends, searching for goanna, kangaroo, snakes, and witchetty grubs, as well as harvesting bush foods such as native currants, bush potato, and bush banana.