March 2025

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Wati Wanampi Tjuta / Snake Men – Imuna Kenta’s Story

Imuna paints the Country that stretches from Mutitjulu to Kunytjanu, close to Pipalyatjara in the far west of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. The ancestral figure known as Wati Wanampi (male water snake) lived at a waterhole site called Malara. The Wanampi gathered a group of men together to go out hunting for kuka (meat).

While they were out looking for meat, another group of male water snakes known as the Wal Mala (an army of soldier snakes who came from Mutitjulu) recruited them into their army. The group joined forces and travelled to a site known as Kuntyjanu, where they engaged in a battle with Wati Tjakura (an edible skink lizard). They speared Wati Tjakura and killed him. The group then returned to Malara, where they rest today at the waterhole.

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Kungkarangkalpa / Seven Sisters

Kungkarangkalpa means the Seven Sisters. This is an extensive creation story that relates to the Pleiades constellation in the southern hemisphere. The story traverses Australia taking on different forms, however local women are privy to the part of the story which takes place in the country near Ernabella. For this part of the story, the man called Nyiru is chasing the sisters as he wants to sleep with the oldest sister. All the younger sisters are deeply afraid of him. As Nyiru is chasing the sisters, he tries to catch them by using magic to turn himself into the most tempting bush tomatoes for the sisters to eat and the most beautiful ili (fig) tree for the sisters to camp under. However, the sisters are aware of his magic and go hungry and run through the night rather than be caught by Nyiru. Eventually, to escape Nyiru, the sisters fly into the sky where they turn into stars and form the constellation.

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Jeffrey’s Birds

Jeffrey paints his favourite birds that live in the country around Ernabella. These include the kuparu (magpie), partilpa (Port Lincoln ringed neck parrot), kayarkiyarpa (galah), tjintir-tjintirpa (willy wag-tail), piil-piilpa (yellow throated minor) and kuurkuurpa (owls).

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Kulata Tjuta – Many Spears

Freddy is painting his grandfather’s country in far west South Australia. He depicts kulata tjuta (many spears) travelling through the sky to catch wati wanampi (snake man). Those wati wanampi are moving fast through the sky. There was one woman waiting there with a baby and she said there was a wati who was nearby hiding in a bush, ready to duck down and go and then throw those spears.

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Ngayuku Walka / My Design

Walka means design or pattern. Artists use this title to describe artworks that are pattern based rather than descriptive or telling a story.

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Ngayuku Ngura – My Country

Artists use this title when they are depicting their Country. It might be a representation of a particular place or of different aspects of that area. The artist uses a combination of colour and design to indicate variations in the landscape. Inspiration is drawn from all elements of Country and might include bush tucker, water holes, meeting places, rock formation, birds or animals.

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Tjanmata / Bush Onions

Tjanmata or bush onion is eaten by baking the small bulbs in hot coals and then removing the papery outer layer.

 

Until comparatively recently, bush foods were the primary source of sustenance for Anangu Pitjantjatjara. Many bush foods are still gathered regularly, almost exclusively by women, and they therefore feature strongly in women’s mark making. Women learn the art of gathering each of the foods from a young age and much inma (ceremony) relates to these practices and the maintenance of supply.

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Ngayuku Ngura – My Country

Artists use this title when they are depicting their Country. It might be a representation of a particular place or of different aspects of that area. The artist uses a combination of colour and design to indicate variations in the landscape. Inspiration is drawn from all elements of Country and might include bush tucker, water holes, meeting places, rock formation, birds or animals.

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Kulata Tjuta – Many Spears

Freddy is painting his grandfather’s country in far west South Australia. He depicts kulata tjuta (many spears) travelling through the sky to catch wati wanampi (snake man). Those wati wanampi are moving fast through the sky. There was one woman waiting there with a baby and she said there was a wati who was nearby hiding in a bush, ready to duck down and go and then throw those spears.