“This is my father’s story, ‘Broken Law,’ told by Malya Teamay. He learned it from his brother, who has since passed away. It’s a sad story. First, the first white man came and sat down with all the Anangu. The Anangu were painted up in the traditional way for inma (cultural song and dance). At […]

Ili Tjukurpa (Wild Fig Dreaming) has been passed down through the Riley family for generations. It originates from Alison’s grandfather’s homeland in South Australia. Alison teaches her daughter, Amelia Riley, the family Tjukurpa, and together they both paint at Walkatjara Art. Alison’s painting tells the story of the travels of the Seven Sisters as they […]

In this painting the artist, has depicted imagery of Irmangka Irmangka, a plant which has been used in traditional medicine in Anangu culture for thousands of years, and continues to be used today. Irmangka Irmangka was used traditionally to help relieve muscle soreness and the symptoms of colds and flus. It is the tiny leaf from the bush that […]

There are many types of waterholes that Anangu utilize, relying on their intimate knowledge of the environment to know where and when to find water. Sometimes a soakage may have dried up, and the women must use their digging sticks to locate water beneath the surface. They transport it back to their families in wooden […]

The Seven Sisters, or Kungkarangkalpa, Creation story is of great significance to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people. The Sisters traveled long ago through the artist’s traditional country in South Australia’s Northwest, as well as the southwest corner of the Northern Territory. Chasing after them was Wati Niru, a trickster man who wanted to court one […]

In this painting, the artist depicts Minyma Kutjara (Two Women). This is the Creation Law story of the two women who traveled through the artist’s ancestral country on a long journey that stretches across the Central Desert of Australia. Like all Creation Ancestors, these two women shaped parts of the landscape and left behind valuable […]

“Before, when we had Anangu Tours, I would walk with everyone, sharing the Mala Story as we went along. We would take long walks, and I would tell them about the Mala People. Then I had a stroke. While I was in the hospital, I thought hard about painting again and sharing my story. Long […]

Nyanu Watson loves to paint Tjulpu (birds). She depicts birds found in the Pipalyatjara and Kalka areas that are important to local Tjukurpa dreaming. Nyanu creates stories for the characters in her work; they represent families—husbands, wives, and tjitji (children). As she paints, she tells stories of family life: sharing food, looking for water, and […]

Nyangatja puli Ulurunya, nganampa ngura Tjukurpa pulka tjara. Kala painting tjuta palyalpai-amilapai Culture Centre-ngka, minga tjuta nganampa nguraku nintiringkula kulintjaku. ‘This is the rock known as Uluru, our home with its powerful law. We do our paintings at the Culture Centre so tourists can learn about our country, understand, and respect it.’ In this painting, […]

The painting depicts tali (sand dunes), with fluid lines that tell the story of the land. In this habitat, Tjanpi (spinifex) and green vegetation such as mangata (desert quondong) thrive, creating a fragile ecosystem. In the mornings, you can observe networks of tracks on the sand dunes, which Anangu use to track animals. Generally, small […]

“This is a straight story from the Tjukurpa (Creation Time), and nobody can change that story. This is about the Ngintaka. It’s an old story, taught by my father and my grandfather.” In the Tjukurpa, the Creation Ancestors traveled across the unformed land, shaping its features through their everyday activities and adventures, leaving behind knowledge […]