Ernabella Arts Inc.

---

---

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.

---

---

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.

---

---

Kulata Tjuta – Kungkarangkalpa Freddy’s Story

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 Freddy’s part of the story is from his father’s country west of Atila (Mt Connor). For this part of the story a 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. 

Nyiru makes kulata tjuta (many spears) and leaves them leaning up against a tree. When the sisters are travelling they find the spears resting there and realise that the wati kura (bad man) is nearby. They get frightened and run away. Eventually, to escape Nyiru, the sisters fly into the sky where they turn into stars and form the constellation.

---

---

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.

---

---

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.

---

---

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.

---

---

Anapalaku Walka – Ernabella Design

The well-known Anapalaku Walka evolved out of the very first drawings that children made in the Ernabella mission school in the 1940s. The children would often come to the Ernabella craft room (the precursor to today’s art centre) in the afternoon or during school holidays, making their doodles and designs that were the inspiration for the artists who then used this motif on various craft media. The designs are based on flowers, leaves and the rich colourful arid landscape of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. The young girls grew older and many of them joined the art centre where they developed these designs into a distinctive artistic style. The Anapalaku Walka has been used by Ernabella artists for more than 75 years on floor rugs, batik, paintings and ceramics.

---

---

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.

---

---

Maku (Witchetty Grub) Derek’s Story

This is a tjukurpa (story) from near Mimili on the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands from when Aṉangu (people) came here a long time ago. When the maku (witchetty grub) was finished, people sang the maku to make them come back. They sang and danced and scattered leaves to make the maku come out of the ground. This is Derek’s grandmother’s story. She used to dance to these songs when she lived in Mimili and she’s now buried there.

Derek’s cousin says: ‘So when they dance to that maku song, that song develops all the bush food – maku under the ground to grow more bigger and to have more maku in the roots. So when the ladies dig it they can see it really close in the roots as well. They can be like five of them but they have to be really, really big’.

Until relatively recently bush foods were the primary source of sustenance for Aṉangu and maku is still one of the favourites. Many bush foods are still gathered regularly almost exclusively by women, and they feature strongly in artistic 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.

---

---

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.