Wanampi Mankur Mankurpa Kutjara Kutjara

2016
synthetic polymer paint on linen
100 x 100cm
Harriet and Richard England Collection
© The artist and Ernabella Arts

Kunmanara’s painting refers to the Wanampi Tjukurpa (Water Snake Creation Story). He tells how there are ten sites associated with the dreaming:

These ten places are for Anangu drinking, Wanampi separate. Wanampi not walking like Anangu - moves like a whip. That Wanampi mother and father they staying separate, not going anywhere but tjitji tjuta (many children), coming and playing around them. They making friends: Mulpa tjutunga.

 

Mr Ingkatji

Born c.1930
Died: 2016
Pitjantjatjara language group
Art Centre: Ernabella Arts, Pukatja

Mr Ingkatji was born at Titu c. 1930. At age eight, his family were sitting at Puta - Puta when they first saw whitefellas. He arrived at Ernabella Mission in 1937 and later lived nearby at his homeland, David's Well. He spent his life teaching people about Anangu language, law and culture. He was the first teacher of Pitjantjatjara to the Mission teachers at the Ernabella School, and taught his language at Adelaide University and in Alice Springs from 1968. He was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of South Australia in 2005. He was also a church leader and the choir master with the Pitjantjatjara (formerly Ernabella) choir.

Mr Ingkatji first painted with Tjungu Palya Art Centre in Nyapari in 2007 and worked at Ernabella Arts from 2008 until he passed away in 2016. He was a well respected senior law man across the APY Lands who was deeply involved in the Kulata Tjuta (Many Spears) Project - passing on old knowledge and law to young Anangu men through spear making workshops. His brother is the artist Kunmanara (Dickie) Minyintiri.

His daughter Nyunmiti remembers him as a highly principled man who lived by the values of unconditional giving/generosity (munytja), always being friendly, happy (pukulpa), taking seriously his role as teacher (nintilpai), holding law strong and being a strong man (wati kunpu) and never forgetting to love (mukulya).

The senior men of the APY Lands have dedicated their large collaborative painting and Kulata Tjuta installation to this significant old man.