In the heart of Australia's Northern Great Sandy Desert lies Mina Mina, a place of deep spiritual significance for the Warlpiri people. For decades, Aunty Agnes had painted this sacred Country, yet she had never set foot on it. In the summer of 2018, a group embarked on a perilous journey to reach this holy site, facing extreme challenges that tested their limits.
The Call to Mina Mina
Aunty Agnes's dream of dancing at Mina Mina became a reality when Judith Nangala Crispin, adopted into the Warlpiri community, agreed to the adventure. They packed old vehicles and set off from Lajamanu, heading into the jaws of Lake Mackay. The route was notoriously treacherous, with no roads, just open desert that posed severe risks.
Perils of the Desert
The expedition faced numerous obstacles. Deep sand could strand even the hardiest travellers, while sharp acacia thorns shredded tyres. Water was scarce for hundreds of kilometres, and birds attacked plastic bottles to steal the liquid. The heat pushed human endurance to its limits, with temperatures soaring above 50°C. Adding to the danger, eight of the world's deadliest snakes sought the same scarce shade.
The group included five Warlpiri lady custodians, the last male Mina Mina dancer, and others like an anthropologist and a computer programmer from England. With Warlpiri reggae playing and air conditioning showering them with dust, they pressed on, losing tyres and depleting water reserves faster than expected.
A Turning Point
After a night of camping with warding fires to keep away threats, the group considered turning back due to dwindling supplies and disorientation. However, a chance encounter changed their fate. Teddy, the elderly dancer, alerted them to Alice, his skin-mother, who had seen their campfire and arrived with extra water and tyres, enabling them to continue.
Arrival at Mina Mina
Upon reaching Mina Mina, the landscape surprised them all. Deep red sand was punctuated by tall desert oaks, leading to three enormous salt lakes. In the intense heat, flies swarmed relentlessly, and the group relied on electrolytes from dissolved lake salt to stay hydrated.
Under the desert oaks, Teddy and the ladies prepared for ceremony, painting for ritual purposes. Judy, adorned with Yam Jukurrpa designs, was the first to step onto the salt, followed by a trembling Agnes. Despite the harsh conditions, Judith managed to capture this moment before her camera film melted.
The Revelation of Holiness
As the sun set, six elderly ladies and wild-haired Teddy danced on the salt lakes, surrounded by warding fires. In that instant, Judith experienced a profound revelation of holiness. It manifested as love, ritual, map-making, salt, and guardian trees—figures moving on a dry lake in the desert's heart.
This memory, forged through adversity and connection, will stay with her forever. Judith's journey underscores the deep bonds she shares with the Warlpiri community, having been adopted into the Patrick family and using her skin name, Nangala, to honour these relationships.
Her work, including the creation of the Kurdiji 1.0 Aboriginal suicide prevention app, reflects her commitment to celebrating Warlpiri culture. Though not Warlpiri by blood, she considers them the people of her heart, a testament to the transformative power of such sacred journeys.
