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Biographies of Nyapari Artists

Below are some brief biographical details of various artists who work with the community art centre at Nyapari (Tjungu Palya Artists).

Eileen Yaritja Stevens
Jimmy Baker
Maringka Baker
Nyankulya Watson
Tinpulya Mervin
David Miller
Wingu Tingima

Eileen Yaritja Stevens

Born: c. 1920
Language: Pitjantjatjara
Community: Nyapari, South Australia

Eileen was born in the bush at Makiri, Tjala Minyma Tjukurpa (Honeyant Women's sacred place). Her father was a Yangkunytjatjara man and her mother a Pitjantjatjara woman. When Eileen was a young woman she worked at Ernabella mission milking goats. "I was a hard worker at the mission, but it was good." Her husband also worked at Ernabella chopping trees for building projects. Later they came to Nyapari, Eileen's husband's country.

Jimmy Baker

Born: c. 1920
Language: Pitjantjatjara
Community: Kanpi, South Australia

Jimmy was born along the Kalaya Tjukurpa (Emu Dreaming) track in the Western Desert at a rockhole called Malumpa (close to the present day community of Kanpi). He remembers as a young boy 'whitefellas" coming in on camels and asking to be led to waterholes. Later Jimmy moved to the mission at Ernabella where he worked as a shearer using hand held clippers. After the mission days Jimmy, along with key family members, promoted the establishment of a community at Kanpi so that they could live back in their own country.

Maringka Baker

Born: c. 1952
Language: Pitjantjatjara
Community: Kanpi, South Australia

Maringka was born at Kaliumpil, out in the bush. She lost her parents when she was a little girl and spent much time with her brothers. She started school at Warburton in WA but she ran away and travelled with her brother to Ernabella in SA. After a while they moved to Fregon where she finished her schooling and began teaching. Later she got a certificate in health and worked at the Irrunjtyu community clinic. She now works mainly at Kanpi in SA.

Nyankulya Watson

Born: c.1938
Language: Pitjantjatjara
Community: Kalka, South Australia

Nyankulya was born at Mt Aloysius, at a rockhole not far from the tri state border, sometime around 1938. As a teenager she lived at Anumarapiti, now an outstation of Irrunytju. She remembers shortly after this time white fellas came and told her family to go to Ernabella. "It was good at the mission, there was lots of flour, tea and sugar. In the morning we would listen for the bell, then we would line up for food, go to church and then to work. Nyankulya was a founding member of Irrunytju Arts. She now lives in Kalka SA.

Tinpulya Mervin

Born: 1945
Language: Pitjantjatjara
Community: Watarru, Western Australia

Tinpulya was born in the bush at Kelvin Well, a soak near Kunmapiti in SA. Her parents had travelled from Watarru to the mission at Ernabella where they worked as shepherds. As a child she remembers making the journey back to Watarru with her parents where they exchanged dingo skins for flour, tea and sugar. Tinpulya has a passion for teaching traditional law and culture to her grandchildren so they grow up strong and proud. She is a respected community leader.

David Miller

Born: 1950s
Language: Pitjantjatjara
Community: Kanpi, South Australia

Wingu Tingima

Born: c. 1920
Language: Pitjantjatjara
Community: Nyapari, South Australia

Wingu was born at a rockhole called Nyumun, in the Western Desert of WA. "I didn't go to school I was a bush girl!" Later she travelled by foot with her mother and father to the mission at Ernabella, where she worked spinning wool to make things for the mission. "I wasn't worrying to go home because I was happy at the mission". Today Wingu lives at Nyapari in SA and Irrunytju in WA, spending time with her two families.