Bess Price Nungarrayi
Bess Price Nungurrayi is a Warlpiri Artist from Yuendumu, to the North West of Alice Springs in Central Australia. Born in 1960, her first language is Warlpiri. She also knows Luritja, Western Arrernte and Anmatyerre. Bess Price lived a traditional life as a child and into adulthood. A victim of domestic violence, she left the father of her child when she was 19 and began studying to be a teacher.
She attained a Bachelor of Applied Science in Aboriginal Community Management and Development from Curtin University and has worked in education and training, public administration, the media, community development, interpreting, translating and language teaching and has experience in small business management. With her husband Dave Price, she is a partner with Jajirdi Consultants working in cross cultural awareness training, community liaison and Warlpiri language services.Her artistic career is not as well known as her career in politics. She was a Country Liberal Party member of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 2012 to 2016, representing the electorate of Stuart, and was Minister for Community Services in the Giles Ministry.
IN her artistic practice, Bess paints stories associated with The Mala Dreaming (Jukurrpa), a track relating to these paintings began at a place called Mawurrungu in the flat sand and salt lake country to the south-west of Yuendumu and west of Lake Bennett. From there the Mala Ancestors travelled northwards. The important sites on this track are also associated with water. There are seven small rock holes at Mawurrungu. Malawirri was one important place where they stopped, rested and then performed ceremonies.
