PUNU NGURU
“Punu kutjupa anangu tjutaku Iriti nguru tjukurtjara tjana nganampa walytja munu nganampa wanka. Tjana nganampa tjukurpa munu malatja malatjaku.
The trees are different for Anangu. They are the ancestors, they are our family. they are our history and our future.”
PUNU NGURU RAFT ART SPACE, ALICE SPRINGS 2012
The white fella family tree is the exact opposite to how Anangu think of the family tree. I have seen the white fella family tree drawing with the ancestors at the top where the leaves are. Our way, Anangu way, the Ancestors are the roots. Tjamu Tjamu (Great Grand fathers) Kami Kami (Great Grandmothers), they are the roots. Us middle ones - the men and women who made these paintings - we are the trunk of the tree . The young fellas and young women, the future of our families are the leaves on the trees, and the leaves that are yet to be seen. This exhibition came from an idea that Hector Burton and the old men shared. This exhibition, like the tree itself means many things for Anangu. Mostly this exhibition is about us holding on to, and protecting the importance of our law.
