Inawantji Jennifer Forbes, Minyma Tjukurpa, 56x56cm

• Aboriginal Artist - Inawantji Jennifer Forbes 
• Community - Kalka
• Aboriginal Art Centre - Ninuku Arts
• Catalogue number - 24-139
• Materials - Acrylic on canvas  
• Size(cm) - H56 W56 D2  
• Postage variants - Artwork posted un-stretched and rolled for safe shipping
• Orientation - Painted from all sides and OK to hang as wished

This is a women's dreaming story about women travelling to a rockhole. Tjukula (rockholes) are important places to Anangu (people of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands, SA) as they are a source of kapi, kuka and mai (water, meat and bushfoods). They also play an important role in dreaming stories, known as 'Tjukurpa'.

Jennifer Forbes was born in the bush around 1955. She grew up in the APY Lands and lives with her husband Sandy in Kalka. She is the sister-in-law of Telstra winner Jimmy Donegan and a devoted artist when she is in the community of Kalka.

Ninuku Arts is a wholly-Indigenous owned and governed Art Centre which supports artists from two communities - Pipalyatjara and Kalka. Each has populations of around 100-150 Anangu and the majority are Pitjantjatjara speakers – Anangu simply means ‘people’ in Pitjantjatjara. Both communities are located in the far north-western corner of South Australia, near the tri-state border of South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory. The two communities, fourteen kilometres apart, are surrounded by the rolling, rocky hills of the Tomkinson Ranges and are part of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. Both Kalka and Pipalyatjara are peaceful places. This is a result of strong governance, cultural engagement and pride among local Anangu. 

The Art Centre itself is located in Kalka and is housed in a mud-brick building (the only one in the Lands), which was built as an office in the early 1980’s by Anangu and white staff, and has since been extended to accommodate the growing number of artists keen to paint. A silver bullet caravan (formerly a mobile health unit) is also located on site, and has become a place for some artists to paint, mostly during the winter months while the morning sun warms the deck. Despite being the most remote art centre on the APY Lands, having limited working space and access to services, Ninuku Arts has continued to grow in success with each year. The artist’s commitment to both the art centre and painting is unflappable. The art centre prides itself on its inclusivity (providing opportunities for all generations) and embracing individuality in artists.