Martu Country (Wells 16-39)

Martu have developed an extensive land management program over the past 10+ years. The program includes four permanent ranger teams: Jigalong, Parnngurr, Punmu and Kunawarritji. These ranger teams cover the whole of the Canning Stock Route (CSR) within the Martu determination.

A major role of the ranger program is engagement with tourists with activities such as permit checking, ad-hoc tours of art sites and film screenings (often shown at Pinpi in the cooler months).

Approximately 2,000 Martu people live in and around the native title determination area, including within the communities of Jigalong, Punmu, Parnngurr and Kunawarritji (Well 33) and in the neighbouring towns of Newman and Nullagine.

CULTURE + HERITAGE

The lake systems throughout the Martu determination are major sources of dreaming. For this reason, many of the wells have significant Jukurrpa (dreaming) and stories associated with them. Pinpi (Durba Spring) is one of the major rest points along the Stock Route for travellers. Located in a protected gorge it has large shade trees and grass conducive to rest. Jilukurru Spring (Well 17) is a major cultural site for men and is closed to visitors. Photography is also not allowed here. The site has sadly been subject to graffiti on the major art panel on the way to the spring. Kaalpi (Calvert Range) is located about 75km to the east of the Stock Route and was a heavily visited site due to its extensive collection of rock art, as well as being home to one of the last remaining colonies of Black-flanked Rock Wallaby in the Western Desert. Until the Traditional Owners determine a strategy to manage the threats to these important sites:

*PINPI IS SURROUNDED BY A MIXTURE OF OPEN AND CLOSED SITES.

*JILUKURRU SPRING (WELL 17) IS CLOSED TO ALL VISITORS.

*KAALPI IS CLOSED TO ALL VISITORS.

FLORA + FAUNA

Martu Country includes parts of the Little Sandy, Great Sandy and Gibson deserts. The Little Sandy Desert contains rocky ranges within a surrounding landscape of predominantly spinifex grasslands. These grow over sand dunes and plains with isolated pockets of desert oak, mulga and eucalypt woodlands. Country includes two ancient river systems that feed into salt lakes. One of these systems is the Savory Creek which feeds into Lake Disappointment north of Well 19.

Savory Creek supports wide riparian (river) vegetation that stretches for over 150kms, providing habitat for numerous birds. A range of other salt lakes are found stretching north along the western side of the Stock Route as it travels north. These lake systems are major sources of dreaming for the Traditional Owners. The permanent springs of Jilukurru, Lake Dora and Karlamilyi (Rudall River) are also nationally important wetlands.

Martumili Artists, Newman

Martumili Artists works with new and established artists, whose work showcases the diversity, integrity and strength of Martu Culture. Art is important to Martu people. Art expresses Martu culture, history and connection to Country. Art is also a powerful means of building Martu identity and economic independence.

Martumili Artists gives artists equitable access to national and international art markets using accountable, best-practice systems. This addresses significant issues of unethical and unscrupulous conduct in the Aboriginal art market. This also means that the artworks sold by Martumili Artists are of the best quality: the cultural authority of the work is undiluted, the stories are recorded and authenticity and provenance of the art is undisputed.

Martumili spans the Great Sandy, Little Sandy and Gibson Deserts in the East Pilbara. The art centre is Martu governed and is hosted by the Shire of East Pilbara with the generous support of BHP Billiton Iron Ore.

All purchases from the art centre guarantee the artists are paid fairly and the art centre commission is reinvested into the artists’ enterprise and their communities. Martu artists encourage all visitors to Martu country to support Martumili Artists.

Ph: 08 9175 1020 | www.martumili.com.au