Jean Bourke was born in 1945 at Anamarapiti, near Irrunytju. When she was a baby her parents walked to the mission in Ernabella where her mother died. Her father then walked with her to the mission at Warburton. On the way the women took turns to breastfeed her. 'I always thought I had no family, I was really sad because other girls’ mothers told them stories about country. I was lost. She wasn’t telling me stories about family or country. Ngaltutjara.’
Jean belongs to the Pitjantjatjara language and cultural group. 'My father’s country is Alpualpultjta, a rockhole near the creek at Pipalyatjara. He travelled with his mother to Kalka, to another rockhole. This is good country near Irrunytju.’ She went to school at Warburton mission where she learnt to read and write; to recite Bible stories, prayers and hymns; and new art and craft skills including sewing and drawing. During school holidays she used to go back to country.
Jean came back to Irrunytju as an adult. ' At Irrunytju they told me I had relatives in Tjuntjuntjara. I was happy to find my mother’s brother and families.’ She married a man from Warakurna and had two daughters. Jean is one of the founding members of Irrunytju Arts and a highly regarded sculptor and weaver who has worked closely with Ivy Laidlaw to teach others how to weave tjanpi baskets, make organic dyes and natural remedies such as irrmangka-irrmangka. Jean’s paintings reflect her relationship with country and culture. 'We want to do our grandmother’s and grandfather’s country, the rockholes where they went. Where they used to go around, rockhole to rockhole to get feed. Hunt for kangaroos, emus, goannas. Long time ago when piranpa wasn’t here. They’d live with no flour, no medicines, they were strong. They were the strongest people in the area. But now they’ve all got sick, all got diabetes. And we want to do the paintings so we can teach the younger ones these old stories. So they can learn. If we finish, it’s their turn to do dot paintings, to tell the dreamtime stories. Keep the stories strong. That’s why we do the dot paintings, so they can say 'That’s my country, that’s my mother’s country.’ Like that. So everybody’s getting learned. We’re all learned now.’
- Writers:
- Knights, Mary
- Date written:
- 2006
- Last updated:
- 2011
