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Mitjili Napanangka Gibson

Mitjili Napanangka Gibson

Mitjili was born at Winparrku circa 1930 near Papunya, west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Her country is called Wilkinkarra which is her father’s country which is near Lake Mackay in the Gibson Desert, on the edge of the Western Australian border with the Northern Territory. When Miltjili was a young girl her aunties would tell her stories about her country and the jukurrpa or dreaming stories associated with Mina Mina, a sacred site for Napanangkas andNapangardis.
Mitjili is a traditional women who loves to go hunting in her country for bush tucker especially for goannas which are plentiful at Mina Mina. Mitjili has lived at Nyrripi for many years and started to paint there but it was after watching her niece, Dorothy Napangardi that she became inspired to paint seriously. They share many dreaming stories and in particular the Mina Mina story. Mitjili paints stories relating to her country and often will represent these stories through multiple layers in the one painting. She uses an aerial perspective and highlights important sites with painterly technique.
Mitjili is the mother of two children and has several grandchildren. She has a sharp sense of humour and is very proud to tell her traditional stories of law and culture especially those relating to love magic.
The artist died in 2010.