Ernabella Arts Inc.

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.

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 Read more…

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 Read more…

Tjukula/Waterholes For the Pitjantjatjara people living in the desert, knowledge of their water sources was critical to their survival. This resulted in an intimate understanding of the landscape which continues today. Water is an essential element in the desert. These rock holes were particularly important during the dry season when Read more…

Wira Walka Wira is a small cup-like digging bowl or multi-purpose object. In the early days this walka (design) was burnt with wire on to wooden carvings, particularly onto the wira. This association with women has seen the wira walka take on an identity as a female design. It is Read more…

Tjala / Honey Ants Tjala or honey ants live in nests about a metre underground beneath mulga trees, and they are a highly favoured food source. The tjala tunnels that lead down to the ants’ nests are called nyinantu, and the larvae are called ipilyka-ipilyka. After the rain when the ground is Read more…

Tjukula/Waterholes For the Pitjantjatjara people living in the desert, knowledge of their water sources was critical to their survival. This resulted in an intimate understanding of the landscape which continues today. Water is an essential element in the desert. These rock holes were particularly important during the dry season when Read more…

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 Read more…

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.