Mina Mina is a major ceremonial site for the Napangardi and Napanangka women’s communities, located 600 kilometers west of Yuendumu. It features a “marluri,” a large salt lake that is usually dry, earning it the nickname “clay pan.” The lake is surrounded by desert oaks, sand dunes, and “mulju,” small water springs.

The site is linked to numerous mythological stories passed down through generations, many of which are represented in paintings. One story recounts the journey of the women eastward. They danced at Mina Mina, and picks sprang from the ground. They gathered these picks, carried them on their shoulders, and set off on their journey adorned with decorative ornaments.

Along the way, they dug into the earth with their picks in search of food, shaping the landscape as they traveled. Upon reaching Wakakurrku, they stopped and planted their picks in the ground, which transformed into mulga trees that can still be seen today.

After this long journey, however, they deeply missed their homeland and decided to return to Mina Mina.

In the paintings, the dots represent this long journey and the women’s path.