Brandy TJungurrayi

Biography

Brandy was a senior and highly respected Law man and custodian of important men’s ceremonies. His country lies around Nyilla in the Great Sandy Desert/Gibson Desert area. He was initiated at Nurrinpa and participates in Tingarri Law ceremonies. As a boy and young man he lived the nomadic bush life along the trail of waterholes south of Purtutjalpu (Jupiter Well). The waterholes were created by the Luurnpa (Sacred Kingfisher) that carried the original people into the land during the Tjukurrpa (Dreaming).

Brandy and his first wife, the late Nowee Nanguri, walked into old Balgo mission and both worked there tending goats and sheep in the 1950s. Together they had five daughters, who all became artists including Theresa (dec), Frances and Geraldine. The family moved between Balgo and Christmas Creek before moving to Kiwirrkurra in 1996 where they stayed until the community was flooded and evacuated in 2001. Brandy then moved to Balgo with his second wife Philomena Baadjo and his daughters and their families. Brandy started painting at Balgo in 1985 before Warlayirti was established and painted for Papunya Tula Artists when he lived at Kiwirrkurra. He is a brother of Patrick Olodoodi (1943-2017 ) and Elizabeth Nyumi (c.1947-2019) and cousin brother of Helicopter, who are all recognised senior artists.