Patrick Tjungurrayi facts for kids

Patrick Tjungurrayi (born around 1935-1945) is an important Pintupi elder, a talented painter, and a champion for better health care. He is also known as Patrick Olodoodi or Patrick Yala Uluturti.

Patrick Tjungurrayi: Artist and Advocate

Early Life and Art Journey

Patrick Tjungurrayi was born near Puntujarrpa, a place west of Kiwirrkurra in Central Australia. He grew up on his traditional Pintupi lands, near the Canning Stock Route. He didn't meet any non-Indigenous people until he was a young man. This happened when a helicopter flew nearby, which scared him and his family. His brother Tjuwi even became known as 'helicopter' because of this event.

After this first meeting, Tjungurrayi and his family had more interactions with non-Indigenous people. There were difficult times and conflicts. Soon after, he moved to Balgo. They stayed there until the first Pintupi community, Kintore, was set up in the early 1980s. Patrick often traveled between Balgo and Kintore, and other communities. He worked hard, helping to build houses in these new communities.

By 1986, the building work became too difficult for him. He settled in Balgo and focused on painting with Warlayirti Artists. Later, in 1993, he moved to Kiwirrkurra. There, he painted for Papunya Tula Artists. In the late 1990s, Tjungurrayi started to develop his unique painting style. His artworks became very powerful. At first, he used less color in his paintings. However, after a big flood in Kiwirrkurra in 2000, he started using more color again. He painted the flooded land in a powerful, imaginative way. Since then, he has continued to try new styles and experiment with his art.

Fighting for Health Care

Between 2007 and 2010, Patrick Tjungurrayi's kidneys started to fail. This made him want to speak up for his people again. He wanted to fight against the poor health services in Central Australia and the Western Desert. This wasn't new for Tjungurrayi. He had already helped start Purple House in 2000. He donated paintings for an auction at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. This helped Purple House begin its work, allowing people to get kidney dialysis treatment in their own communities, known as 'on Country'. He was the main artist for the "Kiwirrkurra Men's Painting," which sold for $340,000.

Even with all of Purple House's efforts, Tjungurrayi still couldn't get dialysis in Kiwirrkurra. At that time, Purple House wasn't allowed to work in Western Australia. He was sad about this. He thought he would at least be able to get treatment in Kintore or Alice Springs. But he was told that because so many people needed treatment, those not from the Northern Territory had to go elsewhere. He was asked to move to Kalgoorlie or Perth for his treatment, which is very intense. Tjungurrayi refused. He said he would "rather die on his own Country than be sick on somebody else's."

Tjungurrayi grew up traveling the desert lands that his ancestors had walked for thousands of years. He didn't understand or respect the made-up borders that were now controlling his life.

Tjungurrayi fought for his right to get treatment closer to home. He spoke to many people, including government groups. Finally, he was able to get treatment in Alice Springs. Now, thanks to his help, Purple House is allowed to work in Western Australia. In 2014, they opened a two-chair dialysis unit in Kiwirrkurra.

Patrick Tjungurrayi's main goal is to make people and politicians aware of the big problem with kidney health that Aboriginal people are facing. His artwork is also now shown on the side of the "Purple House Truck," which helps bring health care to remote communities.

See also

• Art of Australia