Minyma Mingkiri Tjuta (Small Female Desert Mice Story)

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

About the Painting: Minyma Mingkiri Tjuta Tukur depicts the story of small female desert mice. When the mingkiri (desert mice) are pregnant they give birth to many babies, then journey to the surrounding rock holes in search of food and water for their young. The dotted lines within this piece represent travel paths as the mice journey for water, the circles represent Kapi Tjukula (waterholes) where the mice stop and rest along the way.

Artist: The Burton Women Collective (Angela Burton, Maureen Douglas, Brenda Douglas and Cathy Burton)

Region/Language: Pitjantjatjara People

Artist Bio:  The Burton Women Collective are the daughters and granddaughters of the prolific and highly celebrated artist Kunmanara (Wawiriya) Burton, the women come together to paint in order to remember, celebrate and pass on her stories through painting. They came together to paint pieces such as the Minyma Mingkiri Tjuta to depict stories from their ancestral country near Pipalyatjara, West of Amata in South Australia.