Yuendumu is a town in the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory ...

of Australia, northwest of

Alice Springs Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' Al ...

on the

Tanami Road __NOTOC__ The Tanami Road, also known as the Tanami Track, Tanami Highway, and the McGuire Track, is a road in Australia that runs between the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory and the Great Northern Highway in Western Australia. It is a ...

, within the

Central Desert Region The Central Desert Region is a local government area of the Northern Territory, Australia, administered by the Central Desert Regional Council (formerly Central Desert Shire). The council's main towns are Ti-Tree, Yuendumu, and Lajamanu. Th ...

local government area. It ranks as one of the larger remote communities in

central Australia Central Australia, also sometimes referred to as the Red Centre, is an inexactly defined region associated with the geographic centre of Australia. In its narrowest sense it describes a region that is limited to the town of Alice Springs and i ...

, and has a thriving community of Aboriginal artists. It is home to Pintubi Anmatjere Warlpiri (PAW) Media, which produced the TV series ''

Bush Mechanics ''Bush Mechanics'' is a humorous 2001 television docudrama series directed by David Batty and Francis Jupurrurla Kelly and produced by the Warlpiri Media Association (now Pintubi Anmatjere Warlpiri (PAW) Media), featuring an Aboriginal Austral ...

''.

History

Yuendumu was established in 1946 by the Native Affairs Branch of the

Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...

to deliver rations and welfare services; the first superintendent was

Francis McGarry Francis James McGarry (11 July 1897 – 21 November 1955) was a Catholic lay missionary and Protector of Aborigines who was instrumental in the establishment and day-to-day management of the Little Flower Mission in Central Australia. Early li ...

. In 1947 the Australian Baptist Home Mission was established there. By 1955 many of the

Aboriginal people Indigenous peoples are culturally distinct ethnic groups whose members are directly descended from the earliest known inhabitants of a particular geographic region and, to some extent, maintain the language and culture of those original people ...

had settled in the town.

Location and demographics

Yuendumu lies on the edge of the

Tanami Desert The Tanami Desert is a desert in northern Australia, situated in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. It has a rocky terrain with small hills, and cacti. The Tanami was the Northern Territory's final frontier and was not fully explored b ...

, north-west of Alice Springs within the Yuendumu Aboriginal Lands Trust area, on traditional Anmatyerr land. It includes numerous outstations, and the area borders Mount Doreen, Mount Denison, Central Mount Wedge and Mount Allan pastoral properties. It takes about three hours to drive along the mostly sealed road from Alice Springs to Yuendumu via the

, which branches off the

Stuart Highway Stuart Highway is a major Australian highway. It runs from Darwin, in the Northern Territory, via Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, to Port Augusta in South Australia; a distance of . Its northern and southern extremities are segments of Aus ...

north of Alice Springs. It is within the Central Desert Region (formerly Central Desert Shire) council area. The community is largely made up of the Warlpiri and Anmatyerr Aboriginal people, with a population of 759 at the

2016 Australian census The 2016 Australian census was the 17th national population census held in Australia. The census was officially conducted with effect on Tuesday, 9 August 2016. The total population of the Commonwealth of Australia was counted as – an incre ...

Art

Yuendumu Doors

In 1982 five Warlpiri elders started painting in a bright "

fauve art Fauvism /ˈfoʊvɪzm̩/ is the style of ''les Fauves'' (French language, French for "the wild beasts"), a group of early 20th-century modern artists whose works emphasized painterly qualities and strong colour over the Representation (arts), repr ...

" style on the 30 doors of the Yuendumu

primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...

, in a project which became known as the Yuendumu Doors. Their paintings illustrated 36 ancient designs known as ''kuruwarri'' (also spelt ''kurawarri''), to teach the children their people's

Jukurrpa The Dreaming, also referred to as Dreamtime, is a term devised by early anthropologists to refer to a religio-cultural worldview attributed to Australian Aboriginal beliefs. It was originally used by Francis Gillen, quickly adopted by his co ...

(often translated as Dreamtime stories), and established the elders as important teachers of the youth. The five men who painted the doors were: Paddy Jupurrurla Nelson, Roy Jupurrurla Curtis, Paddy Japaljarri Stewart, Paddy Japaljarri Sims, and Larry Jungarrayi Spencer. The painting of the doors started the whole Warlpiri art movement, and in addition became a powerful symbol of elders caring for children, and helping them in " two-way education". In the mid-1990s, the doors were removed when the school was upgraded in the mid-1990s, the doors were transferred to the

South Australian Museum The South Australian Museum is a natural history museum and research institution in Adelaide, South Australia, founded in 1856 and owned by the Government of South Australia. It occupies a complex of buildings on North Terrace in the cultu ...

, where they are held today (2021). In 2021, the South Australian Museum, the

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the department of the Australian federal government responsible for foreign policy and relations, international aid (using the branding Australian Aid), consular services and trade and inv ...

and the

National Museum of Australia The National Museum of Australia, in the national capital Canberra, preserves and interprets Australia's social history, exploring the key issues, people and events that have shaped the nation. It was formally established by the ''National Muse ...

mounted an exhibition consisting of posters of the doors, to be displayed in Australian embassies around the world, starting with

Chengdu Chengdu (, ; Simplified Chinese characters, simplified Chinese: 成都; pinyin: ''Chéngdū''; Sichuanese dialects, Sichuanese pronunciation: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: ), Chinese postal romanization, alternatively Romanization of Chi ...

in China.

Warlukurlangu Artists

Anthropologist Françoise Dussart provided encouragement to the women to make and sell art, and after some time, the men granted permission to the women to use dots in their

acrylic painting Acrylic paint is a fast-drying paint made of pigment suspended in acrylic polymer emulsion and plasticizers, silicone oils, defoamers, stabilizers, or metal soaps. Most acrylic paints are water-based, but become water-resistant when dry. De ...

s. In 1985 the Warlukurlangu Artists Association was founded at Yuendumu by door painters Stewart and Sims, along with several other senior men and women, including

Dolly Nampijinpa Daniels Dolly Nampijinpa Daniels (1936–2004) was an Australian Aboriginal ritual leader, Warlipiri speaker, renowned artist, and land -rights advocate for the Warlipiri people of the Northern Territory. Early life Dolly Nampijinpa Daniels was born ...

, Darby Jampinjnpa Ross, Jack Jakamarra Ross, Samson Japaljarri Martin and senior women including Uni Nampijinpa Martin, Rosie Nangala Fleming and Maggie Napangardi Watson Incorporated in 1986, it is now called Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation. Other notable artists who have painted with Warlukurlangu include Kumanjayi Nelson Napaljarri,

Norah Nelson Napaljarri Norah Nelson Napaljarri (born 26 October 1956) is a Warlpiri-speaking Aboriginal artist from Australia's Western Desert region. Norah Nelson began painting in 1986 and has exhibited her works both in Australia and other countries. Her paintin ...

Sheila Brown Napaljarri Sheila Brown Napaljarri (–2003) was a Warlpiri-speaking Indigenous artist from Australia's Western Desert region. A contributor to major collaborative paintings by Indigenous communities, her works are also held by the Art Gallery of New South ...

, and

Judy Watson Napangardi Judy Napangardi Watson (–2016), also known as Judy Watson Napangardi and Kumanjayi Napangardi Watson, was an Aboriginal Australian and a senior female painter from the Yuendumu community in the Northern Territory, Australia. Life Judy was bo ...

Contemporary Indigenous Australian art Contemporary Indigenous Australian art (also known as contemporary Aboriginal Australian art) is the modern art work produced by Indigenous Australians, that is, Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander people. It is generally regarded a ...

ist Kumanjayi Napaljarri Kennedy was a senior woman at Yuendumu, a member of the community council, and was made a Member of the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

in 1994, for services to the Yuendumu community. Artist

Maggie Napaljarri Ross Maggie Napaljarri Ross (born c. 1940) is an Aboriginal Australian artist. Her work has been collected by Artbank and the Kluge-Ruhe Museum in the United States. Life Maggie Ross was born east of Yuendumu, Northern Territory around 1935 or 1940, ...

has received the Order of Australia for her work in establishing the Yuendumu Night Patrol. The art centre produces over 10,000 paintings each year, and sells the same number. In 2022, more than worth of art by Warlukurlangu Artists sold at the three-day

Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair The Darwin Festival, founded as the Bougainvillea Festival in 1979 and named Festival of Darwin from 1996 to 2002, is an annual arts festival in Darwin, Northern Territory. It celebrates the multicultural aspects of the Northern Territory lifesty ...

Media

For over 25 years the community has also been home to Pintubi Anmatjere Warlpiri (PAW) Media, (formerly Warlpiri Media Association), most famously producing ''

'', and ''Aboriginal Rules'', which explored the social meaning of

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

in remote communities. The 2001 TV series ''Bush Mechanics'' was located in and around Yuendumu, and an exhibition and book celebrated the iconic series in 2018/2019. (Worldcat entry)

Facilities, sport, events

Services and facilities available in Yuendumu include three community stores, Yuendumu Mediation Centre, school, airstrip, swimming pool, the Warlukurlangu art centre, an Aboriginal media organisation (PAW Media), a church, an elderly people's program, women's centre and safe house. Yuendumu retains links with other communities within the region, including

Yuelamu Yuelamu, also known as Mount Allan, Mount Allen, Alpirakina, and Alpirakinga, is a small town in the Northern Territory, Australia, located north-west of Alice Springs, Its altitude is . Yuelamu had a population of 220 at the . It falls within ...

Papunya Papunya ( Pintupi-Luritja: ''Warumpi'') is a small Indigenous Australian community roughly northwest of Alice Springs (Mparntwe) in the Northern Territory, Australia. It is known as an important centre for Contemporary Indigenous Australian art ...

Lajamanu Lajamanu, formerly known as Hooker Creek Native Settlement or just Hooker Creek, is a small town of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located around from Katherine and approximately from Darwin. At the 2016 Australian census, Lajama ...

, Willowra and Nyirripi. Yuendumu is home of the Yuendumu Magpies football team, who play in the

Central Australian Football League The Central Australian Football League (CAFL) is an Australian rules football competition operating out of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, Australia. Established in 1947, the CAFL is the oldest, most popular and important football leag ...

(CAFL) (formerly playing in the Ngurratjuta 'Country' Cup). Yuendumu won the inaugural season of the new Alice Springs competition in 2008. Yuendumu player Liam Jurrah was drafted into the AFL soon after by the

Melbourne Football Club The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Demons, is a professional Australian rules football club that competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. It is based in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, ...

. Yuendumu hosts its annual sports weekend in the first week of August. The event includes football, basketball and

softball Softball is a game similar to baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Softball is played competitively at club levels, the college level, and the professional level. The game was first created in 1887 in Chicago by George Hanc ...

competitions, attracting teams from other communities around the region. There is also a "Battle of the Bands" night which showcases local bands.

Mt Theo Program

Yuendumu elders founded the

Mt Theo Program The Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation (WYDAC), formerly known as the Mt Theo Program and then the Mt Theo-Yuendumu Substance Misuse Aboriginal Corporation, is a provider of youth services and programs for young Warlpiri people, f ...

in 1993, to divert youth from an epidemic of

petrol sniffing Inhalants are a broad range of household and industrial chemicals whose volatile vapors or pressurized gases can be concentrated and breathed in via the nose or mouth to produce intoxication, in a manner not intended by the manufacturer. They ...

, which has become a model for

substance abuse Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is the use of a drug in amounts or by methods which are harmful to the individual or others. It is a form of substance-related disorder. Differing definitions of drug abuse are used in public health, ...

prevention and youth diversion/development in remote Australian communities. In 2007, Johnny Japangardi Miller "Hooker Creek", Peggy Nampijimpa Brown and Andrew Stojanovski were awarded the

Order of Australia Medal The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

(OAM) for their efforts in founding the program and "for service to the community of Yuendumu and the surrounding region of the Northern Territory through programs addressing substance abuse among Indigenous youth". The program grew into a number of services, now administered by the Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation.

Other notable people

Yuendumu leaders who were awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001, which commemorates 100 years of Federation and recognises "citizens and other people who made a contribution to Australian society or government" include Wendy Nungarrayi Brown and Rex Granites. Yuendumu is the home community of Indigenous activist and former NT Government minister Bess Nungarrayi Price. Artist

Pauline Nakamarra Woods Pauline Nakamarra Woods (born 1949) is an Aboriginal Australian artist. Her first name is spelled ''Pauleen'' in some sources. Early life Woods was born in 1949, Vaughan Springs, west of Yuendumu, and grew up in Yuendumu. She later lived in Ali ...

grew up in Yuendumu. Artist

Kumantje Jagamara Kumantje Jagamara (1946 – November 2020), also known as Kumantje Nelson Jagamara, Michael Minjina Nelson Tjakamarra, Michael Nelson Tjakamarra and variations (Kumantye, Jagamarra, Jakamara), was an Aboriginal Australian painter. He was one of ...

went to the mission school in Yuendumu. Artist

Alma Nungarrayi Granites Alma Nungarrayi Granites (1955-2017), a Warlpiri woman, was an Australian artist. She lived at Yuendumu, and was known for painting ''Yanjirlpirri'', also Yanjirlpirri Jukurrpa or Napaljarri-Warnu, Seven Sisters Dreaming Star Dreaming. Work ...

lived in Yuendumu.

In the arts and media

The town is mentioned in the 1987 Midnight Oil song "

Beds are Burning "Beds Are Burning" is a 1987 song by the Australian rock band Midnight Oil, the first track from their album '' Diesel and Dust''. This song was released as the second single from the album. It reached No. 1 in New Zealand, South Africa and Ca ...

" (from the '' Diesel and Dust'' album): ''Four wheels scare the cockatoos/From Kintore east to Yuendumu''. Midnight Oil and

Warumpi Band Warumpi Band () were an Australian country and Aboriginal rock group which formed in the outback settlement of Papunya, Northern Territory, in 1980. The original line-up was George Burarrwanga on vocals and didgeridoo, Gordon Butcher Tjapanang ...

's 1986 tour to Yuendumu is documented in Andrew McMillan's book ''Strict Rules: The BlackfellaWhitefella Tour''. In The 2005 PlayStation 2 Video Game '' Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves'', the second chapter "Rumble Down Under" takes place in a fictional Yuendumu in the Australian outback, which is a mining and digging site.

Uluru Uluru (; pjt, Uluṟu ), also known as Ayers Rock ( ) and officially Gazette#Gazette as a verb, gazetted as UluruAyers Rock, is a large sandstone geological formation, formation in the centre of Australia. It is in the southern part of the ...

is depicted as surrounding the game's version of Yuendemu.

Climate

References

External links

Warlpiri Youth Development Aboriginal Corporation - formerly Mt Theo ProgramPAW Media and Communications - formerly Warlpiri Media AssociationBush MechanicsWarlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal AssociationYuendumu community councilYuendumu Magpies Football ClubThe Northern Myth
{{authority control Towns in the Northern Territory Central Desert Region Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory Populated places established in 1946 1946 establishments in Australia Tanami Desert Warlpiri people