Walytjitjata- Ngayuku Ngura (Walytjitjata - My Country)
2016
acrylic on Belgian linen
200 x 153 cm
Courtesy Kaltjiti Arts & Aboriginal & Pacific Art, Sydney
© The artist and Kaltjiti Arts
Imitjala Curley is closely connected with Walytjitjata, her mother, Puni Puni’s country. It is a small homeland just over the Northern Territory border about 46km north of Kalka on the APY Lands.
Imitjala has said 'Tjitji tjuta, this is part of the Minyma kututja Story of Walytjitjata.'
Diana James recorded the story in the Kaltjiti Arts Book, Painting the Song:
'The Minyma Kutuja and her husband had many children. They travelled to Umutju (east of Walytjitjata). The oldest boy Wantama was homesick for their birth place, Kanpini, near Waltjitjata. They told their mother, “We’re going back home with our brother.” The mother sang a song to send them away. At Umutju they turned into stone and are still there today.’
Imitjala Curley
Born: 1953 Irintata SA
Pitjantjatjara language group
Art Centre: Kaltjiti Arts, Kaltjiti (Fregon) SA
Imitjala was born in 1953 when her parents were at the Ernabella mission but the family moved to Fregon as soon as the cattle station was established in 1961. A senior traditional woman, Imitjala holds cultural knowledge relating to the Ngintaka (Perentie lizard) Tjukurpa, and Ngapari (Sugar leaf) Tjukurpa at Watarru.
Her connection to the Kampurparpa Tjukurpa in the Walytjitjata region is through her mother, Puni Puni. It is a small homeland just over the Northern Territory border about 46km north of Kalka on the APY Lands.
Imitjala was married to Kun Curley (dec) and has five children, all girls. She has been working intermittently with Kaltjiti Arts since it began as a craft room in the early sixties.
