Ray James Jangala
D.O.B
c.1958
Birthsite
“Tjulyuru”, S/E of Jupiter Well W.A.
Language
Pintupi
Historical
Jangala was about five years old when his father Anatjari Tjampitjinpa and his group came in from their tribal lands to Papunya in 1963. One of the last to do so under the direction of Welfare Patrols lead by Jeremy Long. The patrol, with Nosepeg Tjupurrula and a Tjampitjinpa from Papunya, were looking for them on the road that had been forged by Len Beadel into W.A. from Sandy Blight Junction. The patrol eventually located the group at “Mukala”. At the time Ray and his family had been surviving on a seed “damper” known as “nyuma” however the availability of food was becoming extremely scarce. The family travelled to Papunya by truck with the Welfare Patrol and this was documented by Douglas Lockwood in “The Lizard Eaters“ book published in 1964.
Painting
Ray began painting in the early 1990’s. His paintings incorporate designs based on traditional Pintupi symbols associated with the site known as Yunala in Western Australia.. He has held several collaborative exhibitions, including “Twenty-five Years and Beyond” held at the Flinders University Art Museum in 1999.
