Tjuntjuntjara Tjukurpa by Tjuntjuntjara Collective

Added by Desert Pea Media

Description Tjuntjuntjara community is located 660 km east of Kalgoorlie, in the Great Victoria Desert, Western Australia - it is considered one of the most remote communities in Australia.

The local people are known as 'the Spinifex People', who moved from their homelands (which range across the WA/ SA border) to Cundelee (160km east of Kalgoorlie) during British atomic testing at Maralinga in the 1950s and 1960's - returning to their traditional country around Tjuntjuntjara in the mid 1980's.

'Tjuntjuntjara Tjukurpa was written, recorded and filmed over five days in partnership with Tjuntjuntjara Remote Community School in October 2013. The process involved close consultation with local elders, school students, staff and local community members.

'Tjuntjuntjara Tjukurpa is Pitjantjatjara language for 'Tjuntjuntjara Story' and celebrates the continuation and vitality of the Pitjantjatjara culture across the region, with references to the local Emu Dreaming story.
The story is also a celebration of local young people, and the importance of school attendance, health, and everybody contributing to a strong and healthy community.

Special thanks to Charlie and Tilly Klein, and the Tjuntjuntjara Remote School.

We pay our respects to the Pitjantjatjara people - traditional owners of the country from which this story was told.

*Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that photographs/videos may contain images of deceased persons, which may cause sadness or distress.