About the Artwork

The Mala (rufous hare-wallaby) People were conducting their inma (ceremony) at Uluru.

An invitation came from the west to join another inma. This was not possible, as the ceremony had begun and could not be stopped. So the people out west created an evil spirit, a huge devil dog called Kurpany, to destroy the Mala inma.

The evil spirit traveled toward the Mala People. Luunpa, the Kingfisher Woman, was the first to spot it. She warned them, but they did not listen. The evil spirit shape-shifted into many forms: first, the trees, then rocks, and birds, and ultimately, Kurpany, the devil dog. Luunpa screamed out and told the Mala People that an evil spirit was coming. They finally saw it and became terrified.

The dog attacked and killed many of the mala men, and in great fear and confusion, the remaining mala fled south from Uluru. Kurpany did not attack the mala women; they are still living here at Uluru today. The Kingfisher Woman still keeps watch, and the dog’s footprints are embedded in Uluru.

Walkatjara Art is the Aboriginal owned and governed art centre belonging to the Mutitjulu community, located in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, NT.