Walala Tjapaltjarri was part of this family group that first came into contact with Western civilization in 1984. Previously, this family lived nomadically and isolated and had never seen traces of our civilization. We knew of his existence through other Pintupi families who shared rituals.

It is the family leader, Warlimpirrnga, the elder brother of Walala, who decided to walk east to meet other groups and look for a wife. In 1987, the three older brothers began to paint. For Walala and Thomas, too young and lacking sufficient tribal knowledge to paint full-time on many themes, this episode is short-lived. They will begin to paint more intensely later, along with other members of this group such as Yukultji Napangati (an artist who...