Wira Walka

Wira is a small cup-like digging bowl or multi-purpose object. In the early days this walka (design) was burnt with wire on to wooden carvings, particularly onto the wira. This association with women has seen the wira walka take on an identity as a female design. It is also highly reminiscent of the marks made in ochre or paint on a woman’s breasts during inma (ceremony). This design has become an iconic element in art from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yangkantjatjara Lands.

 

Alison Milyika Carroll was born in 1958 at the Ernabella Mission, now known as Pukatja Community. Alison Milyika’s late husband, Kunmanara Carroll, was an internationally recognised artist. Alison Milyika is the current Anangu Mayatja (Manager) at Ernabella Arts and has previously been the Chairperson. She is also the Anangu Mayatja of Ananguku Arts and is on the Board of the Ernabella Anangu School, the Mai Wiru store, the Ernabella Community Council and the Traditional Owner Working Group of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. As well as being a public leader, Alison Milyika is a respected artist working across multiple mediums and her artwork reflects her identity as a contemporary and senior Pitjantjatara Yankunytjatjara woman. Her batik and ceramics are held in public collections, nationally and internationally. In 2011 she was awarded an Australia Council grant to undertake a residency within the Ceramics Department at ANU. The resulting work was exhibited in Canberra and collected by the National Museum of Australia and the Art Gallery of South Australia. In 2018 Alison Milyika’s lifetime of dedication to the Anangu people and her own artistic achievements were recognised and she was presented with the Premier’s Award for Lifetime Achievement (Ruby Awards), South Australia. In 2020 Alison Milyika was awarded the Red Ochre Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Australia Council.