Louisa Napaljarri Lawson Biography

Louisa Napaljarri Lawson was born at  Kunajarrayi, west of Yuendumu in the N.T. c. 1931; she was Walpiri, and  her country  was Kunajarrayi. Louisa lived at The Granites mining camp from when she was a small girl until after she met and married Ronnie Jakamarra Lawson. They moved to Lajamanu where she was a senior woman in the ceremonial life there. She was custodian of a number of Dreamings including Laju (The Witchetty Grub), Walu
( Bushfire), Mala (Wallaby), Jiwara (the Milky Way and the Stars), Ngalyipi ( Medicine Vine)  and Womens Dreaming. Two of her paintings are reproduced in the ‘Mythscapes’ exhibition catalogue from the National Gallery of Victoria, others are reproduced in the catalogue for ‘Paint Up Big’ also from the National Gallery of Victoria. She is recognised as one of Lajamanus leading painters. Louisa Napaljarri Lawson died in 2001.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1991        ‘Paint Up Big”  National  Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Vic.

1991       ‘Ronnie Lawson Jakamarra and Louisa Lawson Napaltjarri’, Deutscher Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne

1989        ‘Mythscapes’ National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Vic.

REPRESENTED
National Gallery of Victoria
Private Collections: U.S.A., U.K., Italy,  Australia.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
The New McCulloch’s Encyclopedia of Australian Art, 2006

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I am Louisa Napaljarri Lawson.
I came to Lajamanu with my husband Ronnie about 12 years ago – the same as Ronnie I don’t know my real age.
I was born west of Yuendumu near Nirripi Station. I am older than Ronnie, we have been married a long time. Before the Welfare Mob shifted the people to Lajamanu.

When I was a little girl I lived at “The Granites” mining camp. That’s where I met Ronnie. It was some time during the Second World War. We lived at the mine until we came to Lajamanu.

I get my dreaming from my Grandmother. All come from the Kunajarrayi area. It all started in  the beginning, all the woman came camping at this place, Kanajarrayi is a magic place where there are many Dreaming tracks. I have four Dreamings they are, the Witchety Grub, Larrikin Lizard, The Milky Way and The Stars and Women’s Dreaming.

Sometimes I take Dreamings from my Father’s side “Mala” the small Wallaby you know, my Dreamings are my paintings – the same as Ronnie I have special paintings. People can’t take them they belong to my skin, Napaljarri and Nungarrayi.

I am old now and my legs are no good – I used to dance at ceremonies but now I help to do the ceremonial paintings for the other women in the dance.

My paintings are very important maybe one kid from school will se them and they will make him a man through the ceremonies – these are for public ceremonies. I have Dreamings for the private ceremonies, secret ones that only some people can see. These are for young girls to turn them in to young women. First they must learn these Dreamings. They learn them a little bit at a time, not all at once.

I enjoy doing paintings. Ronnie and I paint all day from Wakeup time to maybe 10 o’clock at night.
Sometimes a big painting can take up to one week, maybe more to do. Smaller ones can only take a day or two. Many people buy our paintings, the same as Ronnie – we have people from everywhere looking at our art.

It is important that our art is important and that people are interested in our art, our culture and our Dreamings. We need people to hear our stories so they can know about us.

20.3.91

Transcribed from taped telephone conversation with Louisa.