Irrunytju, or Wingellina Community is a small, very remote aboriginal community located 10 kms from the tri-state border of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia. Named after the nearby Irrunytju rockhole, this was a popular area for Anangu (people) because of the permanent water in the foothills of the Tomkinson Range which is immediately south of the community.
The Minyma Kutjara Project re-establishes Irrunytju as centre for dynamic and culturally important artwork. The Irrunytju paintings reflect the strong relationship between the artists, their country and culture. The artwork brings together contemporary painting techniques and media with ancient visual language and tjukurpa (dreaming).
The Story of Minyma Kutjara
Minyma Kutjara (Two women) is one of the most important women’s creation stories of the Western and Southern deserts and a special story for Irrunytju. It tells the story of the difficult journey of two sisters who travelled throughout these vast lands.
This tjukurrpa tells how two sisters travelled north together. The big sister was taking the little sister to meet her family for the first time. She had been raised by others and did not want to leave them. They walked and walked and walked, stopping to do inma (sacred dancing and singing), to hunt and to sleep. The little sister was frightened. She cried and so the big sister carried her on her back and told her stories to placate her.
The places where the sisters travelled and rested can be traced through the desert, their actions often created landmarks, rock-holes and mountain ranges. Near Irrunytju the sisters sat on two hills and made hair belts in preparation for important women’s business. They threw their wana (digging stick) creating the rockhole here. They travelled to an area known as Mantaruta, near Uluru, where they had an encounter with a curious water snake (wanampi). They chased him deep into the ground trying to catch him. They burned their body hair to attract him and hit him on the head and ran away. From afar they threw a traditional head ring (manguri) which also hits him. Then he came and in revenge hit them all over. They continued they journey, bleeding and hurt, but triumphant.
© 2018. All images are copyrighted © by The Minyma Kutjara Arts Project or Assignee. The use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained.
Natalie O'Toole
The Minyma Kutjara Project re-establishes Irrunytju as centre for dynamic and culturally important artwork. The Irrunytju paintings reflect the strong relationship between the artists, their country and culture. The artwork brings together contemporary painting techniques and media with ancient visual language and tjukurpa (dreaming).
The Story of Minyma Kutjara
Minyma Kutjara (Two women) is one of the most important women’s creation stories of the Western and Southern deserts and a special story for Irrunytju. It tells the story of the difficult journey of two sisters who travelled throughout these vast lands.
This tjukurrpa tells how two sisters travelled north together. The big sister was taking the little sister to meet her family for the first time. She had been raised by others and did not want to leave them. They walked and walked and walked, stopping to do inma (sacred dancing and singing), to hunt and to sleep. The little sister was frightened. She cried and so the big sister carried her on her back and told her stories to placate her.
The places where the sisters travelled and rested can be traced through the desert, their actions often created landmarks, rock-holes and mountain ranges. Near Irrunytju the sisters sat on two hills and made hair belts in preparation for important women’s business. They threw their wana (digging stick) creating the rockhole here. They travelled to an area known as Mantaruta, near Uluru, where they had an encounter with a curious water snake (wanampi). They chased him deep into the ground trying to catch him. They burned their body hair to attract him and hit him on the head and ran away. From afar they threw a traditional head ring (manguri) which also hits him. Then he came and in revenge hit them all over. They continued they journey, bleeding and hurt, but triumphant.
© 2018. All images are copyrighted © by The Minyma Kutjara Arts Project or Assignee. The use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained.
Belle Davidson
Coralie Peterman
Delissa Ryder
Diane Dawson
Evonne Stacia Lewis
Heather Watson
Hinerangi Tukere
Ivy Laidlaw
Nancy Young
Renae Fox
Rene Nelson
Roma Butler
Tjawina Roberts
Linda Eddy
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Natalie O'Toole
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