| Artist | Corban Clause Williams |
|---|---|
| Title | Kaapla (Kalypa Canning Stock Route Well 23) |
| Year | 2022 |
| Medium | Acrylic on linen |
| Dimensions | 91 × 61 cm |
| Art Centre | Martumili Artists → |
Out of stock
Corban Clause Williams
I was born in Newman hospital. Mum, Dad, Nanna and Pop lived in Jigalong before, but they moved into town before I was born. I’m one of seven children. I grew up in Newman – this is my home. I like to travel but I worry about home. When I was younger I went to Newman Primary School and Newman Senior High School.
My Nanna and Pop used to take us out hunting for bush tucker. I’d help them make a fire and tea. Me and Pop would go out to the swamp area between Newman and Kumarina. Nan, Pop, Mum and Dad would tell funny stories about our family and make me laugh. I work with KJ (Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa, ranger organisation) teaching Cultural Awareness, and help the YMCA with youth programs. I work at Martumili too, helping to sell the paintings and get the canvas ready. I come to Martumili to paint about my Country, where my grandfather walked around and collected food, and visited the same rockholes I do. I paint to keep my culture and stories and share with others.
Artist statement
Kaalpa (Kalypa, Canning Stock Route Well 23) is my grandfather’s Country. There’s a waterhole there, Kaalpa waterhole. It’s my two pops’ Country. They been walking around, hunting around Kaalpa. You can see a yapu (rock), warla (lake), claypans, karru (creek) and tuwa (sandhills) there. It’s on the [Canning] Stock Route, it’s Well 23. In pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) days, pujimanpa (desert born people) walking around all this Country. My pops told me about that place, a big flat area, parlkarra (flat country) good for hunting parnajarrpa (goanna), lunki (witchetty grub), lungkurta (blue tongue lizard), wamurla (bush tomato), jinyjiwirrilyi (wild gooseberry). Kaalpa is a busy place for emus gettng a drink. I went [to Kaalpa] for the first time [in 2018] on a Martumili KJ [Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa, ranger organisation] trip. I went hunting there, got a parnajarrpa. When I went there, I was pukurlpa (happy). It made you open up your spirit, it feels like home.