Kungkarangkalpa (Seven Sisters)

$3,900.00

Kungkarangkalpa means the Seven Sisters. This is an extensive creation story that relates to the Pleiades constellation in the southern hemisphere. The story traverses Australia taking on different forms, however local women are privy to the part of the story which takes place in the country near Pukatja (Ernabella). For this part of the story, the man called Nyiru is chasing the sisters as he wants to sleep with the oldest sister. All the younger sisters are deeply afraid of him. As Nyiru is chasing the sisters, he tries to catch them by using magic to turn himself into the most tempting bush tomatoes for the sisters to eat and the most beautiful ili (fig) tree for the sisters to camp under. However, the sisters are aware of his magic and go hungry and run through the night rather than be caught by Nyiru. Eventually, to escape Nyiru, the sisters fly into the sky where they turn into stars and form the constellation. 

Tjunkaya Tapaya OAM grew up at the Ernabella Mission. The building which is now the art centre was originally used as a food hall. In 1948 it became the Craft Room. There was a sheep station attached to the Mission and the first work made by the Aṉangu ladies was hand spinning the fleece into wool and then looming it into floor rugs, weavings and wall hangings. Tjunkaya began working in the Craft Room as a young girl, learning from her mother and other family members. In the 1970’s the Ernabella artists introduced the technique of batik and Tjunkaya became an outstanding batik artist with her work held in several public collections. In 2003 the Ernabella Arts screen-printing space was converted into a dedicated ceramics studio and Tjunkaya became a leading artist in this new medium. The artists had started to move away from illustrating with walka (design) and were now focusing on sharing their Tjukurpa. Part of the significant songline Kungarangkalpa (Seven Sisters) travels through the APY Lands and Tjunkaya is one of the few people authorised to share this story. 
 
As well as being an artist, Tjunkaya is a senior and highly regarded cultural custodian, and she has published many works in Pitjantjatjara. Tjunkaya is also an accomplished tjanpi (fibre) artist and one of her works is housed in the National Portrait Gallery. In 2022 she was the Cultural Director and lead artist creating fibre artworks for Tjanpi Desert Weaver’saward-winning short film about the infamous Ernabella donkeys, Tangki Tjuta (Many Donkeys). Tjunkaya is a four-time finalist in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards. 
 
Tjunkaya has been on the Board and the Deputy Chair of Ernabella Arts, and the leader of the Nintintjaku Project, an inter-generational teaching project with Ernabella Aṉangu School. In 2018 Tjunkaya’s life’s work as a representative for her people, an artist and a writer was recognised when she received the Gladys Elphick Award for Lifetime Achievement. In 2020 Tjunkaya was awarded an Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.