Maringka Burton
Artwork title: Anumara Piti
Medium: Acrylic paint on linen
Size: 152 x 122 cm
About the Artwork
I really always paint this Country, my birthplace - Anumara Piti. I paint the big rockholes with the linking paths taken by the green Anumara caterpillars, creating the Country, travelling in their long lines as always. Really, as I say, I have painted my Tjukurpa [ancestral creation story] for a long time, the ‘Caterpillar Dreaming’ at Anumara Piti.
About the Artist
Place of Birth: (near) Wingellina WA
Language Group: Pitjantjatjara
Maringka Burton was born near the site of the Anumara Tjukurpa (Caterpillar Dreaming), south of Irrunytju (Wingellina) in Western Australia. Maringka lived a traditional Anangu existence with her parents Charlie Tjalkuriny (Charlie Burton) and Naputja Yanyi (Yanyi Burton) and siblings before settling in Ernabella, where Maringka attended the Ernabella Mission school.
Maringka is a highly-regarded ngangkari (traditional healer), having been guided in this practice by her father Charlie Tjalkuriny. Maringka’s ngangkari work involves extensive travel and working alongside doctors and nurses to support Anangu patients in hospitals and clinics.
A respected senior artist, Maringka maintains a prolific practice across painting and tjanpi (native grass) weaving.
Courtesy of Iwantja Arts, photo by Meg Hansen