Born at Kunajarrayi c.1931, Louisa lived as a child around Ngarrupalya. Her language/tribe was Warlpiri and her country, Kunajarrayi. As a senior woman in the ceremonial life of the Lajamanu community, she was custodian of many Dreamings, including Warna, Ngalyipi (Medicine Vine), Mala (Wallaby), Laju (Witchetty Grub), Yurrampi (Honey Ant), Jutiya (King Brown Snake), Walu (bushfire), Ngarlkirdi (Witchetty Tree), Yiwara (Milky Way) and Yatulu Yartulu (Granites). Her first contact with Europeans was while on holidays in Alice Springs. In her younger days she worked as a cook at the Granites goldmine. She was a fluent speaker of the old Aboriginal English spoken on the minefields. Her daughter by one of the miners, Robyn Green Napurrurla , painted with her husband, Joe Green . Louisa was the sister (same mother) of Yuendumu artist Paddy Japaljarri Sims and of Alec Holmes Japaljarri. Two of her paintings are reproduced in the catalogue for the 'Mythscapes’ exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria in 1989, and five in the catalogue of 'Paint Up Big’, also at the National Gallery of Victoria, 1991. One of the best known painters in Lajamanu.
- Writers:
- Johnson, Vivien
- Date written:
- 1994
- Last updated:
- 2011
