Ipalala outstation

Art centre documentation for this work states:
“There is the blue house and the tin house (that little one!).

I lived in the blue house, when all the family left - I can't remember when, it was a long time ago when I was with my second partner. He was nice company for me. This is my Country, my brothers and my sisters and my father's Country. I am traditional owner for this area.

We got a lot of stories.

When I was a school kid I lived at a different outstation where there was a school, at Impurtna. We loved staying on Country. But there is no school on Country anymore, only in Hermannsburg.

I liked it very much when I used to stay at Ipalala. But now, I got no car, or petrol, I can't get to work at Hermannsburg Potters if I stay out there. I can't walk to Hermannsburg, too far. When I was a little bit younger I could walk from here to Hermannsburg, but I'm old now so I stay in the community. I can still go there on the weekends.

I feel happy out on my Country, not lonely. I love staying on Country. I hear the bird singing, horses, donkeys. Yira Yira – that little bird, they got a lot of different colours, they always come for water, they drink from the leaking tap. Nice birds, beautiful colours - black, yellow and blue birds with the red crest. They always in the bush.”
Anita Ratara 2022