George Hairbrush Tjungurrayi

About

George Hairbrush Tjungarrayi was born around 1943 in his country North West of Kiwirrkurra, located in the Gibson Desert in Western Australia. George's 'sisters' are Naata Nungurrayi and Nganngi (Nancy) Nungurrayi, both well known artists like George. George and his family lived a traditional life until they came out of the desert by way of Mt Doreen Station and Yuendumu. In 1962, George walked to Papunya as a guide for Jeremy Long's Welfare Branch patrol.

The Tingari cycle embodies a vast network of Aboriginal Dreaming songlines that traverse the Western Desert region of Australia. Locations and events of the Tingari cycle frequently occur as the subject matter of Aboriginal art from the region. In Pintupi narratives, a group of Tingari men (ancestral elders) - who were usually followed by groups of women and children - travelled over the Western Desert area performing rituals and creating the country. Deep knowledge of Tingari business is still very secretive and restricted to men in the community who hold an appropriate level of seniority. There are however public stories that do not disclose secret, sacred knowledge.