Punu Ngura (Country with trees) 3

Peter Mungkuri is a senior Yankunytjatjara man from the Indulkana community on the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands of north western South Australia.

He was born in the bush near Mimili, South Australia and worked as a stockman from his teens. He is now an important advocate and leader in support of culture and language in his community. Peter Mungkuri’s memories and knowledge of life on his country informs his drawings and paintings.

‘I've painted the trees because they're a symbol of Anangu culture - the punu (tree) is where our culture starts. Kulata (spears), miru (spear-throwers), piti (bowls), nula-nula (hunting sticks), wana (digging sticks) - all of our traditional tools, they all come from trees.

I've painted my country and all the different types of trees there. There's a lot of different ones and Anangu have a lot of different ways of using them. Some grow tall and skinny and we use them for kulata and straighten them over a fire. Others are really hard and strong, like the mulga tree we use to make miru.

This is beautiful country - we protect our country, we look after it. The tjilpi (senior men) like me teach the younger people everything about looking after country, how to make spears the traditional way, how to protect culture’. Peter Mungkuri, 2019