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Kungkarrangkalpa Indulrungkalpa (seven sisters, Bush medicine)

In Kungkarrangkalpa Indulrungkalpa (Seven Sisters Bush Medicine) Anawari intertwines the Seven Sisters narrative with the art of making bush medicine. Depicting special leaves and shrubs with the circular technique used to skilfully brew into tea or crafted into rubbing ointment. Anawari is a custodian of Kungkarrangkalpa Tjukurrpa (dreamtime) for the Ngaanyatjarra Lands. Wati Nyiru (Magic Man) fell in love with the sisters; he was of the wrong skin group to marry, but he still pursued them on their journey. The sisters travel across the land to escape Nyiru’s unwanted attentions, he is persistent, shape-shifting into other forms looking for the sisters. There are significant land forms which can be sited today that evidence this dreaming. As Nyiru is chasing the sisters he tries to catch them by using magic to turn into the most tempting kampurarrpa (bush tomato) and the most beautiful yirli (wild fig tree), for them to eat and camp under. However, the sisters are knowledgeable of his magic and too clever for Nyiru who they outwit again and again. 

 

Categories: Papulankutja Artists

Name: Anawari Mitchell

Language: Pitjantjatjara, Ngaanyatjarra

Community: Papulankutja (Blackstone)

Biography:

Anawari grew up at the Warburton Mission to attend school like many other kids from across the Ngaanyatjarra Lands at the time.

Anawari was an advocate for the Blackstone Women's Centre when it first opened and became the manager. The women enjoyed learning craft techniques in making tie-dyed shirts, batik, lino and silk-screen printing, making spinifex paper and jewellery using nuts from the local flora. 

Anawari participated in the first tjanpi (grass) weaving workshop at Papulankutja (Blackstone) in 1995.

Anawari is an important spokesperson for her community and is on the Papulankutja Artists board as well as working closely with the NPY women's council and Ngaanyatjarra Land and Culture at Papulankutja. Her grandmothers country is Kuru Ala, a very important site for the Kungkarrangkalpa (Seven Sisters) Tjukurrpa (dreaming story). Anawari paints stories of when the sisters travelled and camped at Kulyuru east of Blackstone and Kuru Ala which is a sacred women's' ceremonial site where young girls are initiated and taught about womanhood.

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