Ethel (Narelle) Kanpatja Holland, Parumpi. 2020. 76cm x 76cm. Acrylic on cotton canvas. Papulankutja Artists. (#72-20)

Ethel (also known as Narelle) was born in the bush in 1953 near Wanarn at a place where there are two rockholes together called Tjulurn and Mungakatu. She grew up out bush before moving to Warburton and attending the Warburton Mission primary school. Ethel attended high school first at Norseman Mission and later at Esperance Mission School. After her school education, she worked in various places throughout Western Australia as a domestic and childcare worker.

Ethel moved from Mantamaru (Jameson) to Papulankutja (Blackstone) in the 1990s with her two daughters and became involved in NYP Women’s Council activities. ‘I didn’t work for NPY but we used to go to the meetings somewhere, like in SA, NT or WA.’ She was one of the first staff at the Women's Centre that was set up by NYPWC to support women in the community and offered a place for them to come together and learn new skills. ‘We used to just go ahead and do it ourselves. At that time I was running the Women’s Centre, I used to hold the key, every day, five days a week. The women were so many, they liked coming and doing anything they can do.’ Ethel was responsible for catering, cooking and supporting the Centre’s Health and Aged Care (HAC) activities.

Papulankutja Artists started at the Women's Centre growing out of art and craft activities including sewing, batik, purnu and then painting on canvas. This is where Ethel first started to paint (1993). Over time she has also been involved in sewing, making spinifex paper and creating limited edition prints. There were many happy and productive years for her in Papulankutja before a family tragedy occurred in the community in 2003 and she lost a daughter. Heartbroken she relocated to Mantamaru. Ethel now works as an arts worker for Papulankutja Artists continuing to paint and supporting the artists who live in Mantamaru, from an office within the women’s centre. Ethel is recognised throughout the Nyaanyatjara Lands and beyond as a pioneer of women’s and arts activities in the region.

Ethel said she has painted like the designs Ngaanyatjarra people carve into wood. The painting maps the country called Parumpi, between Mantamaru (Jameson) and Walu rock hole which is north of Blackstone. What was once a traditional walking track is now a track for cars. The thick lines are the sand hills and the circles are the rock holes or a soak - each one representing a significant source of water.

Papulankutja or Blackstone Community was established after Ngaanyatjarra people walked out of Warburton mission in the 1970s and returned to their land in the shadow of the spectacular Blackstone Range west of the tri-state border. Papulankutja Artists was established in 2001 and incorporated in 2004 growing out of Blackstone’s women’s centre. After many years of working through the women’s centre and then the community hall, Papulankutja Artists opened their own purpose built art studio in 2009. Papulankutja Artists are very community focussed. Today, women and men, young people and old people, work together. By purchasing an art work from an Indigenous owned and governed art centre you are supporting the community. 60% goes directly to the artist and 40% is reimbursed back into the art centre to buy materials so the artists can continue to produce beautiful work and celebrate their culture.