Roy Underwood was born in the north - western Spinifex area around 1937. Roy’s actual place of birth cannot be recorded, as it is near such a highly sacred place that its name and Tjukurpa cannot be mentioned in hearing of women and children. As a reference Roy will say he was born near Tjutajara with Anpiri and Kunultu as important places within his personal range or area of interest.
Roy also has hereditary interests in his mother’s country around Ilkurlka, Kalaya – emu tjukurpa and father’s country from Wartala to the south – east, Waluwaru – eagle-hawk tjukurpa. Roy has not visited his father’s country since contact, as it is remote and inaccessible. He tends to paint his own and his mother’s country. Roy was brought in from the Great Victoria Desert to Cundeelee mission in the late 1950s on one of several expeditions mounted by the missionaries. At the time he was a late teenager or nyiingka, in seclusion from Aboriginal society prior to initiation into manhood. He was taken by train to Ooldea in S.A. and walked about 120 km south to a shed tank about 30km north of Yalata. Here people from Yalata, Cundeelee and many from the northern Pitjantjatjara area had gathered for Tjilkatja – men’s initiation ceremonies. Some time after initiation Roy walked back into the desert and lived there for a while with family yet to move into Cundeelee. He eventually returned to Cundeelee and resided there until the move back into Spinifex in the early 1980s. Roy married and raised his wife’s brother’s two sons.
With Kumanara Anderson and other older men and women, Roy has been a major driving force in returning the Spinifex people to their country and representing and negotiating the unbroken connection to country which was the key element in the Federal Court decision to grant the Spinifex people exclusive Native Title over 55,000 sq. km. in 2000. Roy continues to be a venerated Elder and is routinely elected to Spinifex Land Council and Tjuntjuntjara Community Council.
Roy has a unique painting style somewhat reminiscent of Kiwirkurra mens’ designs from Pintupi country hundreds of kilometres to the northwest and has influenced other artists with his bold and sometimes geometric designs. He is a strong force within the Spinifex Arts project and a much sought after painter.
Roy Underwood was born in the north - western Spinifex area around 1937. Roy’s actual place of birth cannot be recorded, as it is near such a highly sacred place that its name and Tjukurpa cannot be mentioned in hearing of women and children. As a reference Roy will say he was born near Tjutajara with Anpiri and Kunultu as important places within his personal range or area of interest.
Roy also has hereditary interests in his mother’s country around Ilkurlka, Kalaya – emu tjukurpa and father’s country from Wartala to the south – east, Waluwaru – eagle-hawk tjukurpa. Roy has not visited his father’s country since contact, as it is remote and inaccessible. He tends to paint his own and his mother’s country. Roy was brought in from the Great Victoria Desert to Cundeelee mission in the late 1950s on one of several expeditions mounted by the missionaries. At the time he was a late teenager or nyiingka, in seclusion from Aboriginal society prior to initiation into manhood. He was taken by train to Ooldea in S.A. and walked about 120 km south to a shed tank about 30km north of Yalata. Here people from Yalata, Cundeelee and many from the northern Pitjantjatjara area had gathered for Tjilkatja – men’s initiation ceremonies. Some time after initiation Roy walked back into the desert and lived there for a while with family yet to move into Cundeelee. He eventually returned to Cundeelee and resided there until the move back into Spinifex in the early 1980s. Roy married and raised his wife’s brother’s two sons.
With Kumanara Anderson and other older men and women, Roy has been a major driving force in returning the Spinifex people to their country and representing and negotiating the unbroken connection to country which was the key element in the Federal Court decision to grant the Spinifex people exclusive Native Title over 55,000 sq. km. in 2000. Roy continues to be a venerated Elder and is routinely elected to Spinifex Land Council and Tjuntjuntjara Community Council.
Roy has a unique painting style somewhat reminiscent of Kiwirkurra mens’ designs from Pintupi country hundreds of kilometres to the northwest and has influenced other artists with his bold and sometimes geometric designs. He is a strong force within the Spinifex Arts project and a much sought after painter.