Walala Tjapaltjarri

Walala Tjapaltjarri
Born	Walala Tjapangati early 1970s Marruwa, Western Australia
Residence	Hoppy's Camp, near Alice Springs
Nationality	Australian
Occupation	Painter
Years active	late 1980s – present
Organization	Papunya Tula
Style	Western Desert art
Spouse(s)	Brigitte Napangardi
Children	Clarissa (born 1991) Josiah (born 1996)
Parent(s)	Lanti, or "Joshua" (father) Watjunka Nangala (mother)
Relatives	Thomas Tjapangati Yalti Napangati Yukultji Napangati Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri Topsy Napaltjarri Takariya Napaltjarri

Walala Tjapaltjarri (born Walala Tjapangati) is an Australian Aboriginal artist.

Walala was born in the late 1960s or early 1970s. He was born at Marua, near Lake Mackay. He grew up living a nomadic, traditional way of life in the desert. His family had never come into contact with modern, Euro-Australian society. He had never seen a white person, and his family always thought the aeroplanes they saw flying overhead were ghosts or spirits. Before Walala was born, his father Lanti had lived for a short time at the mission in Balgo. But he had run away after getting into trouble for stealing food. It was his decision to stay in the desert, and kept his family far away from the towns. Walala's mother was named Watjunka, and he was Watjunka's only child. He also had two other mothers, Papunya and Nanu, who were his father's secondary wives (and his mother's sisters). His father and Watjunka both died when he was young. The family finally came into contact with outsiders in October 1984, and were settled at Kiwirrkurra. He and his family became known as the last Aborigines living a traditional nomadic way of life in Australia.

He is now married with two children, and lives between Kiwirrkura, Alice Springs, and Yuendumu, where his wife is from. He paints at Hoppy's Camp, outside Alice Springs.

Walala began painting in December 1987, a few years after settling at Kiwirrkurra. He was introduced to painting by his cousin Warlimpirrnga. He taught Walala about using paints and canvas. Walala joined the Papunya Tula artists, and he, Thomas and Warlimpirrnga eventually gained fame internationally as the Tjapaltjarri Brothers. Although he normally paints using Tjapaltjarri as a surname, Walala's skin name is Tjapangati.

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