Snake Ancestor Story, 2000 by Dr George Tjapaltjarri 76x104cm

Snake Ancestor Story, 2000 by Dr George Tjapaltjarri (76x104cm) – A Sacred Journey Through the Gibson Desert

Dr George Tjapaltjarri’s Snake Ancestor Story (2000) is a visually striking and culturally significant depiction of the legendary journey of the Kuniya (Carpet Snake) ancestor across the artist’s traditional country in the Gibson Desert, Western Australia. Set against a bold red background, representing the sandhill country, the spotted Kuniya snake twists and turns across the canvas, embodying movement, transformation, and the deep spiritual ties between the Pintupi people and their land.

This powerful Dreaming story takes place during the Creation Era (Tjukurrpa) when the Kuniya ancestral snake traveled underground from Tjukurla westward to Jupiter Well, shaping the land as it moved. Along its long and adventurous journey, the Kuniya formed rockholes, creek beds, and valleys, creating vital natural landmarks that hold immense spiritual and cultural significance. These sacred places remain essential to the Pintupi people, marking the locations of ancestral events and serving as sites of continued ceremonial importance.

Among these formations, rockholes are especially revered, as they have provided an invaluable and reliable water source for millennia, sustaining Aboriginal communities in the harsh and often unforgiving environment of the Gibson Desert. These waterholes have long been the focus of ceremonial and social gatherings, ensuring the survival and continuity of cultural traditions.

As a respected senior lawman, Dr George Tjapaltjarri holds the sacred responsibility of maintaining these ceremonial customs and preserving ancestral knowledge. Through Snake Ancestor Story , he brings this profound Dreaming narrative to life, ensuring that the wisdom of the Kuniya ancestors endures, passing from one generation to the next. His painting is more than an artwork—it is a spiritual map of creation, a testament to survival, and a vibrant expression of the unbreakable connection between the Pintupi people and their Country.