Nyuju Stumpy Brown

Language: Wangkatjunga
Country: Ngapawarlu
DOB: 1 / 7 / 24

Nyuju Stumpy Brown is a Wangkajunga woman who was born on the Canning Stock Route at place called Ngapawarlu. She lost her mother and father at an early age and was grown up by her uncle Jamali who was droving bullocks on the Canning Stock Route. He took Nyuju to Balgo when she was a little girl and returned to Fitzroy Crossing where Nyuju grew up and lived most of her life. She Married Pukulu, who has since passed away. He was a leader in the church at the old Fitzroy Mission. He was the father of their three daughters, now grown up.

She worked on the Emmanuel Station around Fitzroy doing domestic work- cleaning and cooking.
'In the early days we got no money. Just tobacco. We were working hard for nothing!
Recently she married her second husband, Hitler Pampa. They live at Mindi Rardi in Fitzroy Crossing where Nyuju is an important woman in the community for Law and Culture. At Nyanpi [corroboree] time she runs the ceremonies for young children.

'No sleep. All night making Nyanpi right through to daylight. Then we go back to sleep'.
Nyuju carries the Women's' Law from Wangkajunga side right through to desert side at Balgo. Rover Thomas was her full brother.

Exhibition History: Group Shows

1991 Karrayili - Tandanya, Adelaide
1992 Group Show - Hogarth Gallery, Sydney
1993 Mangkaja Women - Fremantle Art Centre
1993 Images of Power: Aboriginal Art from the Kimberley - National Gallery Victoria
1994 Ngajakurra Ngurrara Minyarti, this is my country - Festival Of Perth Exhibition / Artplace Gallery, Perth
1995 Kimberley Art - Melbourne
1995 Group Show - Australian Perspectives Gallery, Brisbane
1996 Heritage Commission Art Award - Old Parliament House, Canberra
1996 Group Show - Hogarth Gallery, Sydney
1997 Group Show - Hogarth Gallery, Sydney
1998 Group Show - Rebecca Hossack Gallery, London
1999 Ngurrara - Japingka Gallery, Fremantle
2001 Ngurrara Canvas - National Gallery of Australia
2001 Mangkaja Arts Ten Years On Mangkaja’s 10 year Anniversary Show - Tandanya, Adelaide
2002 Group Show - Art Mob Gallery, Hobart
2003 Ten Mangkaja Women - Raft Artspace, Darwin

Publications

1991 Karrayili; Ten years on - Exhibition Catalogue
1993 Mangkaja Women's Exhibition catalogue
1993 Images of Power: Aboriginal Art from the Kimberley - Exhibition Catalogue
1994 Ngajakurra Ngurrara Minyarti, This Is My Country Exhibition catalogue
1996 Yirra: Land Law and Language, Strong and Alive - Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre Publication
1998 Jila Painted Waters of the Great Sandy Desert - Video Documentary / SBS Television
2000 Ngurrara Entry / Oxford Companion to Aboriginal Art - Oxford University Press & ANU
2000 Karrayili The history of Karrayili Adult Education Centre - IATSIS Canberra
2001 Painting Up Big, The Ngurrara Canvas - Kaltja Now National Aboriginal Cultural Institute - Tandanya

Collections

National Gallery of Australia
National Gallery of Victoria
Berndt Museum of Anthropology, University of Western Australia
Northern Territory University

Copyright Mangkaja arts resource agency aboriginal corporation