Wati wiilu-ku inma Tjukurpa

Kunmanara Minyintiri was custodian of the inma (ceremony) of the wiilu (male bush stone curlew). His painting Wati wiilu-ku inma Tjukurpa depicts the waterholes frequented by the bush stone curlew, a nocturnal bird whose eerie wailing call is heard in the evening. The white concentric forms, painted over a palette of bright tones, denote the water sources of both the wiilu and Anangu (Aboriginal people).

As a child, Minyintiri journeyed across the land with his parents, acquiring knowledge of his Country, including near Kanpi in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, where the now-rare wiilu live. An awareness of water sources is crucial for survival and, as a ngangkari (healer) and senior law man, Minyintiri highlights through this work the importance of keeping this knowledge strong. Minyintiri’s painting career was prolific although brief, as he began painting as a nonagenarian in 2005. He also painted the ceremonies and memories of Anangu life before European contact.

Gloria Strzelecki, Associate Curator of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Art