DOI: 10.25911/5dcb4f60ee543
title: i-Tjuma Ngaanyatjarra stories from the Western Desert of Australia
title: Western Desert Verbal Arts Collection

description: The Western Desert Verbal Arts Collection is a unique compilation of audio-visual recordings of the oral traditions of the Ngaanyatjarra, Ngaatjatjarra and Pitjantjatjara people who reside in the ‘Ngaanyatjarra Lands' in the south-east of Western Australia. Project team members: Elizabeth Marrkilyi Ellis, Inge Kral, Jane Simpson (Australian National University) and Jennifer Green (The University of Melbourne).
description: Between 2012 – 2019 Elizabeth Marrkilyi Ellis, Inge Kral and Jennifer Green documented endangered Western Desert verbal arts in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands communities of Western Australia. We filmed the traditional practice of ‘mirlpa’ (telling sand stories), and we recorded younger storytellers’ adaptations of this drawing practice to iPads. This project was supported by ELDP (Small Grant SG0187) and the Australian Research Council (ARC): Discovery Indigenous: IN150100018, and DECRA: DE120100720; DE160100873). Additional support came from CoEDL (the Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Project ID: CE140100041), The Australian National University and The University of Melbourne (Research Unit for Indigenous Language). We thank the Ngaanyatjarra Council and all the Ngaanyatjarra people who participated in this project. The files in this data set are linked to Pacific and Regional Archive for Digital Sources in Endangered Cultures (PARADISEC) under WDVA1 – Western Desert Verbal Arts Project Collection: http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/WDVA1 The set of audio visual files were recorded in Ngaanyatjarra, transcribed and translated with bilingual subtitles added to the edited films. These narratives are of ‘mirlpa’ sand storytelling. 1. Marlu – Elizabeth Marrkilyi Ellis. Filmed at Tjukurla Community, October 13 2012, (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-MIR_03). 2. Mama Mama Ngunytju Ngunytju - Elizabeth Marrkilyi Ellis and Melanie Giles. Filmed near Alice Springs, October 21 2012, (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-TJILK_02). 3. Kapi - Nancy Jackson - leaf story. Filmed at Warakurna Community, October 17 2012, (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-MIR_11). 4. Pangkupirri – Elizabeth Marrkilyi Ellis. Filmed at Tjukurla Community, October 13 2012, (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-MIR_02). 5. Tali – Joella Butler with Katrina Giles. Filmed at Tjukurla Community, September 6 2013, (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-MIR_22). These narratives are told as stories accompanied by iPad drawings. 1. Tjarlaku – Going for honey ants - Joella Butler with Katrina Giles. Filmed at Tjukurla Community, September 5 2013. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_02). 2. Kukaku – A hunting story - Joella Butler with Katrina Giles. Filmed at Tjukurla, September 6 2013. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_03). 3. Tjarlirli – One day in Tjukurla… - Katrina Giles with Joella Butler. Filmed at Tjukurla Community, September 6 2013. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_05). 4. Disco at Warburton - Phillipa Butler. Filmed at Warburton Community, September 12 2013. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_06). 5. Going out bush - Kresna Cameron. Filmed at Warburton Community, September 12 2013. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_07). 6. Tjarlaku – Going for honey ants – Bethany Cooke. Filmed at Warakurna Community, June 30 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_15). 7. Disco at Warakurna - Bethany Cooke. Filmed at Warakurna Community, June 30 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_16). 8. One day in Warakurna - Donisha Yunkett. Filmed at Warakurna Community, July 1 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_19) 9. Kuulpangka - A school day - Trisha Lewis. Filmed at Warakurna Community, July 1 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_21) 10. Yuruku – Going swimming - Delisha Reid. Filmed at Warakurna Community, July 1 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_22) 11. Disco Story - Trisha Lewis. Filmed at Warakurna Community, July 1 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_24) 12. Gypsy the Camel - Susan Reid. Filmed at Warakurna Community, June 28 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_10) 13. Camels at Tjarlirli - Claudine Butler. Filmed at Warakurna Community, June 28 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_08) 14. Warakurna, my home – Bethany Cooke. Filmed at Warakurna Community, June 30 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_18) 15. Going to the Warakurna Roadhouse - Delisha Reid. Filmed at Warakurna Community, July 1 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_23 16. Warnampi (Water Snakes) Claudine Butler. Filmed at Warakurna Community, June 28 2016. (Archived at PARADISEC as WDVA1-IPAD_11) This set is linked to the publication: Ellis, E. M., Green, J. and Kral, I. (Eds.) (2020) i-Tjuma: Ngaanyatjarra 'iPad' stories from the Western Desert of Australia. Perth: UWA Publishers.