Maḻilu Tjukurpa

$2,000.00

This is the country for Maḻilu. She is a creation being from the Tjukurpa (Dreamtime). Minyma Maḻilu nyinanyi wanangka munu piti. (Minyma Maḻilu is sitting with her digging stick and bowl). She has been dancing and performing inma – important ceremonial dancing for this country.

Maḻilu was born with an injured leg and has left her dancing tracks behind in the sand. Her two daughters have left her to get married, leaving her to fend for herself. It was very hard for her to collect bush foods and water because she had to drag her leg as she walked.

Through much effort she collected kampuṟarpa, wiriny-wirinypa, tawal-tawalpa, munu mai kutjupa-kutjupa (desert raisins, bush tomatoes, berries and many different wild foods). Maḻilu dug out a cave in the earth. It has a small opening but is a huge underground cave. She would hide her food there for when she was hungry or too tired to go out hunting. She would also perform inma in the cave. This is my country close to Kaṉpi Community.

Kani Patricia Tunkin’s family were living at Kanpi when she was born in 1981. Patricia went to school at Murputja – the school for Kanpi and Nyapari – and later completed her high schooling at Wiltja in Adelaide. Her mother’s place is Kanpi and her father’s country is Yalata. Patricia believes that cultural knowledge is very important to pass on to the younger generation just as she has learned from her mother Kay Baker and her grandfather Jimmy Baker.