Born at Thompson Rockhole (Pirti-pirti) at a place called Wardilyka in 1944. In Stories From Lajamanu (Northern Territory Department of Education, 1985), he talks about how his father died a week later and his mother, Margaret Nungarrayi, took him out into the desert south of Lajamanu in her traditional Warlpiri country. He describes his early life 'out bush’, and then at various settlements and cattle stations across the North West and his experiences with a pastoralist called John Patrick, who whipped the youth in his employ until they ran away, spearing his cattle as they went. His traditional country was Pirti-pirti and his Dreamings were Ngapa (Water), Watiyawarnu, Yawakiyi and Wirnpa. He started painting in 1986 with the original group. The motto for the Lajamanu school T-shirt, Past and the present and the future all brought together at Lajamanu School – loosely translated as Lajamanu School Forever – was written by Paddy Patrick , whose painting is printed in the shirt front.
- Writers:
- Johnson, Vivien
- Date written:
- 1994
- Last updated:
- 2011
