The Story of The Lost Tribe (Pintupi Nine) of the Gibson Desert

To this day, few people know that the discovery of the nine Indigenous Australians of the Pintupi tribe in Australia’s Gibson Desert in 1984 sparked one of the most fascinating events in the history of Aboriginal art. The Pintupi Nine or "The Lost Tribe" as they are called had a major transformation which fascinates people even to this day. This transformation from seclusion to inclusion is not only a story of the survival and creativity of Indigenous cultures but also a revelation of the exploration and influence of Indigenous art today.

The Pintupi Nine’s tale is a tale of endurance, cultural integrity, and culture and organisation of society in the contemporary world. It provides an intimate look at how people, having never changed their way of life for thousands of years, were thrust into the modern age of the 1900s. While adding depth to the history of Indigenous Australians, this narrative also poses ideas worth pondering about the concept of culture and indigeneity and the power of art as a mediator between different worlds.

The Inspiring Story: A Timeline of the Pintupi Nine

The Pintupi Nine were a group of people of a nomadic tribe who lived most of their lives without any touch from modernity. Their genesis is set in the immense and sun-baked Gibson Desert that was once home to aboriginal families with a roving lifestyle enmeshed with geography. They live in one of the most extreme climates in the world and managed to preserve their culture, stories, and knowledge for ages. It was their home, and as such, they were one with the desert, its plants, animals, and holy places.

The Early Life of the Pintupi Nine

Living in the Gibson Desert, one of the toughest environments in the world, the Pintupi Nine preserved their cultural heritage and behaviors as well as rituals, practices, and knowledge to transmit it to the next generations.

Hunting and gathering were the core activities of the Pintupi Nine who migrated depending on the change in the season in search of water and food. Spear and boomerang were their weapons and they possessed unique knowledge of the terrain; they were still able to locate water even for outsiders in what looked like a desert. They maintained a healthy spiritual life which included Dreamtime, rituals, and the ground that has nourished their forefathers for ages.

In the 1950s the British government put rocket testing in the area and since then many indigenous people including some Pintupi were moved to settlements such as Papunya. It became a rather challenging time for most Indigenous people, however the Pintupi Nine stayed in the desert hunting and living in traditional fashion, completely oblivious of the changes happening around them.

Mid- 1970’s: Life in Papunya

During the time that the Pintupi Nine were living in the desert, most of their kinsmen had been taken to settlements such as Papunya. Living in such settlements was difficult and was characterised by great cultural disruption. Problems like alcoholism and diseases were also prevalent, which defines the difference between traditional life and living in these communities set by the government.

This was especially the case in Papunya where it is now recognised as the birthplace of the Western Desert art movement. Western Desert Aboriginal art started in the early ’70s when Indigenous artists felt the need to tell the world their dream time history using contemporary media such as acrylic on canvas or board. This movement which developed later on after meeting modern society was a significant factor to the artists of the Pintupi Nine.

1976: Land Rights Movement

Indigenous Australian history can easily be described by the various movements that occurred during several specific time periods, and it is in the middle of a period when several important movements that would shape Indigenous Australian history emerged: the Aboriginal Land Rights movement, which emerged in the mid-1970s. Such a movement sought to ‘get the land back’, that is, restore the indigenous people’s ownership and control over their ancestral homelands. The Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 played a major role in extending the legal recognition to Indigenous people to claim the rights over the land in accordance with their traditional rights. Lake Mackay (Wilkinkarra)

This movement laid the ground for further changes that would affect the Pintupi peoples both the ones that remained in the desert and practising a traditional way of life. Although it heralded a change of course to the recognition of traditional Indigenous rights and kinship to land, something in which the tale of the Pintupi Nine would be deeply rooted in.

1981: Establishment of Kintore

The Pintupi people settled in the community of Kintore (Walungurru) in 1981 in Western Australia, 530 Km west of Alice Springs. This was a sign of the process of local return for some Pintupi persons and families who had been living in a settlement such as Papunya.

The setting up of Kintore was part of a process called the outstation that was characteristic of Indigenous Australians who wished to go back to their lands and set up more suitable and smaller communities. This enabled traditional practices as well as connection to the country to be maintained to a larger extent but with comparatively better access to some contemporary accommodation and services.

1983: Creation of Kiwirrkurra

After the setting up of Kintore, Freddy West Tjakamarra together with other Pintupi people ventured deeper into Western Australia to regain some of their lost territory. In 1983 they founded the community of Kiwirrkurra which is approximately 700 kilometres west of Alice Springs.

Through the establishment of Kiwirrkurra, several things happened or changed that allowed the participants to respond to cultural changes. He said it offered improved access to-an area of historical significance, and Dreaming tracks according to Pintupi ethic. The lake, a large salt lake that often is devoid of water, has significant cultural and religious meaning to the Pintupi. With the establishment of Kiwirrkurra, the Pintupi were able to stay closer to this significant site.

Furthermore, Kiwirrkurra was in the traditional Pintupi contact area and situated considerably closer to the place where the Pintupi Nine were still living their nomadic life, which was unknown at that time. This proximity would be critical in the events that were soon to happen.

October 13, 1984: Encounter at Winparrku

The turning point in the Pintupi Nine's story came on October 13, 1984, when two members of the group, Warlimpirrnga and Piyiti, encountered a man named Pinta Pinta at Winparrku (Mount Webb). This chance meeting would set in motion a series of events that would bring the Pintupi Nine into contact with the modern world.

The encounter was initially tense. Warlimpirrnga and Piyiti, having never seen a clothed person before, were startled and suspicious. Pinta Pinta, equally surprised to encounter people living traditionally in the desert, attempted to communicate with them. Despite the language barrier (the Pintupi Nine spoke an older dialect of the Pintupi language), some basic understanding was achieved.

This meeting was significant not just for the individuals involved, but for what it represented - the collision of two worlds, one ancient and one modern, that had existed in parallel for decades.

Late October 1984: The Decision to Find Relatives

Following the encounter at Winparrku, the Pintupi Nine faced a crucial decision. Two members of the group, Papalya and Nanu, were particularly concerned about potential threats. They feared the arrival of white people, about whom they had heard stories passed down through generations. They were also wary of a man named Yawa Tjapaltjarri, who had a troubled past and was known to them through tribal networks.

After much discussion, the group decided to send Warlimpirrnga and Piyiti to seek out their relatives. This decision was not taken lightly, as it meant potentially exposing themselves to the outside world they had avoided for so long. However, the perceived threats and the possibility of reuniting with family members who had been taken away years ago ultimately convinced them to make contact.

October 14-16, 1984: The Search and Confrontation

After Pinta Pinta reported seeing "two naked men" to the Kiwirrkurra community, a search party was quickly organised. The party included seven Aboriginal men, Charlie McMahon (a former contractor for the Aboriginal Arts Board), Aboriginal Affairs field officer Speedy McGuinness, and Geoff Toll.

Over the next few days, the search party faced numerous challenges. The Pintupi Nine, aware they were being followed, attempted to obscure their trail, demonstrating their deep knowledge of desert survival techniques. The searchers found tracks and a campsite, but the elusive group remained just out of reach.

On October 15, the search party finally encountered one of the older women, Papalya, and other members of the group in hiding. This initial contact was tense, with the Pintupi Nine understandably fearful and suspicious of the strangers.

The climax came on October 16, when Warlimpirrnga and Piyiti confronted the search party. Warlimpirrnga, armed and angry, initially resisted any attempt at communication. The situation was highly volatile, with the potential for violence. However, a breakthrough came when Bobby West, a member of the search party, intervened. Bobby, who was related to the Pintupi Nine, appealed to Warlimpirrnga, revealing their family connections.

This moment marked a turning point. Warlimpirrnga, still angry but recognizing Bobby West, deliberately misdirected a spear to avoid hitting him. This act signalled a willingness to communicate and marked the beginning of a dialogue that would eventually lead to the Pintupi Nine agreeing to return to Kiwirrkurra.

October 19, 1984: Arrival at Kiwirrkurra

The Pintupi Nine finally arrived at Kiwirrkurra on October 19, 1984, marking their official entry into the modern world. Their arrival was a complex and emotionally charged event, filled with a mix of joy, confusion, anger, and fear.

The initial reunion with relatives, including a woman named Topsy who had been separated from the group years earlier, was particularly poignant. However, it was not without conflict. Topsy's siblings expressed anger at her for not returning to find them sooner, leading to a confrontation that highlighted the complex emotions surrounding the group's long isolation.

The Pintupi Nine experienced significant culture shock upon their arrival. They struggled to comprehend modern amenities that most people take for granted. Simple items like sugar and blankets were initially confusing to them. The sight of a vehicle's exhaust smoke caused panic in Yukultji, one of the sisters, who thought the car was on fire.

Moreover, within days of their arrival, the Pintupi Nine began to experience health problems. Their lack of immunity to common pathogens led to colds and coughing, a stark reminder of the challenges they would face in adapting to their new environment.

The arrival of the Pintupi Nine at Kiwirrkurra marked not just the end of their isolation, but the beginning of a new chapter in their lives - one that would see them navigate the complexities of modern society while striving to maintain their deep connection to their cultural heritage.

The Pintupi Nine’s Composition

Pintupi Nine comprised of three brothers and three sisters whereas the other three were closely related to the siblings. All these individuals have been very active players in their community and in the field of aboriginal art. Some of the notable individuals include the brothers Thomas Tjapaltjarri, Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri, and Walala Tjapaltjarri as well as the sisters Yalti Napangati, Yukultji Napangati, Takariya Napaltjarri.

The Tjapaltjarri  Brothers

Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri

Warlimpirrnga, one of the oldest artists in the group, was vital in the initial contact with the outside world. The scene of the first encounter of the Pintupi Nine with the search party and later establishment of a relationship was perhaps one of the critical sections of their life in the experiment.

Defeated in the attempts to come to terms with the new way of life, Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri discovered a new way of making himself heard – through paintings He started painting in the mid-1980s and rather soon created his individual manner of depicting things. His works have more detailed paintings of the Tingari cycle that are described to be secret and sacred ceremonies of the Pintupi.

In Warlimpirrnga’s works, there is a tendency toward the use of close parallel lines to generate optical illusions. What could be considered as elements of triumphant virtuosic bravado, are not only technical exercises in his works but bestow a profound testament to the artist’s bond with the earth and indigenous roots.

He has had his work in galleries around the globe, nonetheless, his artistic exploration has come a long way to reach this achievement. In 2015, he presented his works in a solo show at the Salon 94 in New York which can be considered a major achievement in the artist’s career.

Thomas Tjapaltjarri

Thomas Tjapaltjarri, who is among the brothers, also turns out to be an artist after encountering modern society. Like his brother, the Tingari cycle and Dreamtime stories of his people are depicted in the works that Thomas made, following the style of the Pintupi people.

Thomas’s paintings have many fairly dark colors with some vivid work and complicated ornaments. He has been able to illustrate some of the holy sites and religious narratives of his forefathers concerning the native geography through a language of art that reflects his indigenous roots as well as the modern contexts.

He has had major exhibitions in Australia and overseas to which he has vastly contributed towards the expansion of western desert art on the global market.

Walala Tjapaltjarri

Walala, the youngest brother of the brothers, also evolved his art of painting with strong graphic patterns which are symbolic of the country’s topography and also dreamtime. Some people even consider his work even more abstract than work done by his brothers and features a heavy emphasis on the relation between shape and colour.

Some common themes in his paintings include the Tingari cycle, which he paints in Walala’s unique style. He employs lines and squares to indicate religious places and the movement of the forefathers throughout the region. Such is the decision maker through confident, modern tones that made his work especially favourite among today’s art enthusiasts.

Like his brothers, Walala Tjapaltjarri’s works have toured in overseas art galleries and he has emerged as one of the most creative painters in the Western Desert art.

The Three Sisters

Yukultji Napangati

Yukultji Napangati was among the young ones in the group of Pintupi Nine who came across the outside world in 1984. She was born and raised in the Gibson Desert where she was taught how to survive in the desert, Dreamtime stories and women’s rites by her mother and aunts. Her early years are shown with a strong attachment to the ground and provided with an experience that was associated with mobility with seasons, carried out activities practised by their ancestors for millennia.

Yukultji, being one of the youngest, had the most intense reaction to first contact, as her story illustrates. It is a known fact that she was once scared about most of the trends of the modern world including the sight of vehicle exhaust which she thought was fire. This fear that she had at the start of her journey is evident and she went on to be a renowned artist.

Yukultji commenced painting in approximately the mid-1990s, ten years after the first contact was made. She soon distills a recognisable style that can be best described as calligraphic; thin lines and graduated tones. She has a special focus on the sand hills and rock holes of her country and women’s sites together with the legends which are connected with them.

Thus, Yukultji’s paintings are characterised by the ability to produce an oscillating look that resembles the heat haze of the desert. This is nicknamed ‘the Pintupi style’ and has been said to depict the manner in which members of this tribe view their terrain: not as inert space, but as humming with spiritual force.

In 2009 Yukultji gained her career’s high point, she was a finalist for the Wynne Prize at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Her work has been displayed in Galleries in all the states in Australia and other countries like the United States of America and Europe.

However, even though Yukultji is a successful artist she still has not cut ties with native culture. She is a woman who still practises in women's ceremonies and also shares traditional knowledge with the youths. Her art acts as a mediator between her and the traditional society and the rest of the world where she gets the ability to share her culture and at the same time the ability to embrace change.

Yalti Napangati

Yalti Napangati, like her siblings, was born in Gibson Desert and led a nomadic life till 1984. Being one of the older sisters in the group, she had the responsibility and obligation of helping her group members learn and keep the culture of the society.

Yalti’s contribution to the Pintupi Nine was notable in the main area of cultural heritage preservation through the dissemination of information. She has been the main force behind preserving women’s ceremonies and Dreamtime stories that have been helpful in the continuity of the cultural aspect of the group despite their introduction to the modern world.

Yalti Napangati started painting in the late 1990s and currently, she has a style that is separate yet informed by the Pintupi style. Most of her artwork focuses on sand hills and water sources of her origin and they are complex paintings that use dotting out designs.

However, the features most prominently characteristic of Yalti’s artwork are colour and depiction of the country. She has a special interest in sites that are considered to be women’s areas and those ceremonies that are performed by women of the Pintupi community; it gives a credible feminine view of the cultural and religious beliefs of the Pintupi people.

Though perhaps not as internationally famous as her sister, Yukultji, Yalti flew the flag of Contemporary Aboriginal Art pretty high; her pieces were shown in galleries within the borders of Australia and in collections.

Such use of art gives Yalti the privilege of maintaining cultural and historical information in the form of pictures significant to their people. Through her art; however, she has gone on to make her audience in her own Pintupi community, as well as the outer world, understand the importance, and the place that spirituality has in the life of the Pintupi community and their country.

Takariya Napaltjarri

The third sister of the Pintupi Nine, Takariya Napaltjarri also had similar childhood years to her siblings and like them, her early years were spent in Gibson Desert in the traditional way of living. Her childhood years were spent mastering the hunting, foraging, thinking, and feeling patterns of people who lived in close contact with the natural world and the Creator.

Takariya as one of the sisters in the group constructed the Pintupi Nine’s socio-cultural value system and ensured proper societal and cultural practices while in seclusion. The knowledge of women's business and dream time stories contributed to the group's ability to practise their culture even when they are the few.

Takariya started painting her gorgeous art pieces at a time after the group had come across modern society. Still, her painting style is somewhat similar to her sisters’ but at the same time, it has features of its own. Takariya is particular for its elegant attempts at asserting dramatic colour tones and for its realistic depiction of key women’s sites and ceremonial procedures.

Some of her canvases illustrate the Minyma Kutjara (Two Women) Dreaming, a complex story that reflects the life of two sisters as they travel across the land and form geographical formations, and execute performances that the next generation will follow.

Like all of her sisters, Takariya has left traditional desert life and embraced the modern world using art as a way of survival and self-identification. Her art pieces have been displayed in galleries in Australia and have drawn interest because of its liveliness and relevance to culture.

Takariya’s contribution does not only lie in her paintings and drawings; she has been actively participating in the preservation of traditional cultural beliefs within the native community as well as trying to share some experiences with young generations.

Conclusion

The works of the Pintupi Nine are filled with patterns, enchanting and carrying a spiritual meaning, they are a connection between the worlds, the powerful cultural and spiritual role of art that anyone can understand, no matter in which part of the world they are from The works give a fleeting view into the country of the Australian desert and the Aboriginal’s dramatic and inviolable connection to it, which has been present in their culture for more than

Hence, the Pintupi Nine’s story is not just the story about those people’s survival but the story of today’s indigenous people in general, the conflict between tradition and modernity, and the values of cultural identification as well as creativity inherent in humanity.

The Lost Tribe is a story that remains open, inviting, and provoking the contemplation on various aspects of existence that unite us as well as the construct of reality as it is implemented by members of the global community.

To learn more about The Pintupi Nine, visit our aboriginal art gallery or contact 03 9497 5111 for more details.