221282232035

Published by CompNet Systems on

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.

Categories: Ernabella Arts Inc.

Name: Freddy Ken

Language: Pitjantjatjara

Community: Ernabella (Pukatja)

Biography:

When I was a young bloke I was working with cattle doing fencing, cattle pens, sometimes building houses, pipelines, working on the roads building the highway. I was working with dynamite and it was dangerous. I used to ride horses and sometimes bulls at the bronco rides.

I started painting in Amata. Then I went out working in land management, looking after the country. Now I’ve come back to Ernabella to be with family and I’m painting again. I paint a lot of stories, lots of dancing. My father and my grandfather told me lots of stories, for a long time we have no TV.  My country is sandhill country, it’s good country, little bit rough.

My feeling is when the picture comes I have to paint it. These are stories from my memory, and from memory come pictures.

Related Posts

Ernabella Arts Inc.

221282363457

Tjanmata – Bush Onion Tanmata or bush onions are found near creek beds on the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the remote northwest of SA. Aṉangu bake the small bulbs in hot ashes and then remove Read more…

Ernabella Arts Inc.

221282363456

Tjanmata – Bush Onion Tanmata or bush onions are found near creek beds on the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in the remote northwest of SA. Aṉangu bake the small bulbs in hot ashes and then remove Read more…

Ernabella Arts Inc.

221282363454

Tjitji Tjuta Walytjata This Tjukurpa is from a place called Walytjata near Pipalyatjara. It’s a true story. You can see all the kids sitting there in the cave. The mother left and told the kids Read more…

© the artist / art centre