Vaughan Springsby Renelle Napanangka McCormick

Artwork: Vaughan Springs
Artist: Renelle Napanangka McCormick

Pikilyi is a large and important waterhole and natural spring near Mount Doreen station. Pikilyi Jukurrpa (Vaughan Springs Dreaming) tells of the home of two rainbow serpents, ancestral heroes who lived together as man and wife. The woman rainbow serpent was of the Napanangka skin group and the man was a Japangardi. This was a taboo relationship contrary to Warlpiri religious law. Women of the Napanangka and Napangardi subsections sat by the two serpents, picking lice off them. For this service, the two serpents allowed the women to take water from the springs at Pikilyi. This was because the serpents were the Kirda for that country. The spirits of these two rainbow serpents are still at Pikilyi today. This Dreaming belongs to the women and men of the Napanangka/Napangardi and Japangardi/Japanangka skin groups.