We acknowledge the Gadigal of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the Country on which the Art Gallery of NSW stands.

Title

Parrtjartanya, the story of the native cat and possum brothers

(2005)

Artist

Reggie Jackson

Australia

circa 1923 – Jan 2007

Language group: Ngaatjatjara, Southern Desert region

  • Details

    Place where the work was made
    Papulankutja (Blackstone) Gibson Desert Western Australia Australia
    Date
    (2005)
    Media category
    Painting
    Materials used
    synthetic polymer paint on canvas
    Dimensions
    185.0 x 61.0 cm stretcher
    Signature & date

    Not signed. Not dated.

    Credit
    Purchased with funds provided by the Aboriginal Art Collection Benefactors 2006
    Location
    Not on display
    Accession number
    6.2006
    Copyright
    © Estate of Reggie Jackson/Copyright Agency

    Reproduction requests

    Artist information
    Reggie Jackson

    Works in the collection

    1

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  • About

    The Papulankutja Artists documentation for the work states:

    This is the story of the native cat and possum brothers. This is a story associated with Warakuna but it can be relevant further north in Tjukurrla. The big brother was a native cat and the younger brother was a possum. They would go out in the middle of the night as they were afraid of the daylight. The possum boy was blind and couldn't see, but the native cat man had good eyes and he could see to kill kangaroos for food. Sometimes the cat man would find meat that had been killed by others and left. The meat was often rotten and not good for eating but the cat man ate it anyway. One night when they were out hunting they misjudged the time and the native cat man was travelling along the top of the ridge when he saw the sun come up. He ran away in fear. He went backwards as quickly as he could and went right into the cave. The possum boy who was blind went in after him and they are still in that cave today.

    © Australian Art Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 2006

  • Exhibition history

    Shown in 1 exhibition