Carolyn Dunn, Piltati Tjukurpa, 91x91cm

• Aboriginal Artist - Carolyn Dunn
• Community - Ernabella
• Aboriginal Art Centre - Iwiri Arts 
• Catalogue number - 74-23
• Materials - Acrylic paint on linen
• Size(cm) - H91 W91 D2
• Postage variants - Artwork posted un-stretched and rolled for safe shipping
• Orientation - Painted from all sides and OK to hang as wished

The Piltati Tjukurpa belongs to the ranges in far northern South Australia. It tells of two women, seen here with their piti munu wana (collecting bowls and digging sticks), who set out hunting and gradually draw further and further away from home. They dig burrow after burrow hoping to find small game. Their husbands follow them and transform into Wanampi, water snakes, to lie in wait for their wives in the water hole known as Piltati. When the woman approach they are startled by the Snake Men who leap up and swallow them whole. The four then become Wanampi together at Piltati.

Caryoln was born in Fregon but grew up in Ernabella in the APY lands with her Family. She relocated to Alice Springs to complete high school at Yirara college. She then moved back to her homeland Turkey Bore in Ernabella before moving to Adelaide. She previously painted at Ernabella Arts and also learned batik there from her elders. She has worked Ernabella school as an Anangu Educator. Carolyn learned to paint Piltati; her grandmother's country. Carolyn has been painting at Iwiri since it opened in 2021.

Iwiṟi was established by Aṉangu in 2018, many of whom had been forced to move to Adelaide due to chronic health conditions and lack of services in their home communities. Living far from their traditional homelands, Anangu were concerned about the cultural and social isolation they were experiencing and saw a need to act.  Iwiri was formed initially to help retain, promote and transmit Anangu culture and language through the areas of arts, language, knowledge and community. Since then Iwiṟi has grown rapidly into an organization that delivers  a range of programs that aim to strengthen and advance Aṉangu wellbeing.

Iwiri strengthens the Aṉangu community through cultural and arts activities, creating employment opportunities and enterprise development. We want our young people to be strong in their language and culture and to take up opportunities to work in our community.

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