Tjungkara Ken Seven Sisters

Tjungkara Ken is an important figure in contemporary Indigenous art from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands in South Australia. She paints the Seven Sisters story. This story involves the sisters being chased across country by Wati Nyiru (a bad man). The elder sisters protect and teach the younger ones and keep them from falling for his tricks. Wati Nyiru can change shape into different rock formations and landmarks. These sites remain part of the landscape and are important Anangu ceremonial places. Tjungkara paints these sites.

Tjunkara Ken says: ‘I hold my father’s story, I hold my mother’s story… [it] doesn’t come out of paper or out of a book. It’s coming out of the ground here.’

Tjala Arts, Amata community, 2019