About this artwork
The well-known Ernabella Walka evolved out of the very first drawings that children had made in the mission school in 1940. At the time, the schoolteacher asked the children to draw whatever they liked, trying to avoid imposing a style or idea onto the children. The children would often come to the Ernabella craft room (the precursor to today’s art centre) in the afternoon or during school holidays, making their doodles and designs that were copied by older women and transferred to various craft media. The girls grew older and many of them joined the art centre where they developed the designs, based on flowers and leaves and the rich colourful arid landscape into a distinctive artistic style. This design that has been used by Ernabella artists for the last 75 years on floor rugs, batik, paintings and ceramics is known as Anapalaku Walka or the Ernabella Design.
About Makinti Minutjukur
Born in 1957, Makinti came to the Ernabella art centre as a young girl when it was still the craft room. After leaving school, she started her first job as an artist doing batik and painting. She also worked closely with Winifred Hilliard who started the craft room. Makinti did the wages every week and she was in charge of the art centre when Winifred went away. Makinti is family for renowned Ernabella artist Tjunkaya Tapaya OAM. As well as being an artist, Makinti wears many hats in the community including respected leader, translator, health worker and Director of the Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Education Committee (PYEC). Makinti has played a key role in the translation of the bible into Pitjantjatjara. In 2022 she was the Chair of Ernabella Arts. Makiniti is also a talented singer and member of the Ernabella choir, with which she has performed at numerous events including WOMAdelaide.
