The community of Mimili is in the far north west of South Australia, at the base of the Everard Ranges, in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands. It is 645km south of Alice Springs which is the nearest large town. Mimili is home to 350 Anangu people who speak a mix of Yankunytjatjara, Pitjantjatjara, Ngaanyatjarra and Luritja. The community was established in the early 1970’s after the land was returned to the traditional owners.
As with other art centres, Mimili Maku Arts is an Aboriginal-owned and governed arts business. The art centre involves men and women, young and old people from the community and four surrounding homelands of Perentie Bore, Wanmara, Blue Hills and Sandy Bore.
‘Mimili is our home. We paint strong paintings here together. We paint nganampa tjukurpa (our law and culture. Pulka. This is important to us. Nganmapa paintingku wiru-nya. Our paintings are beautiful, mulapa.’ - Ngupulya Pumani, artist at Mimili Maku Arts.
© Mimili Maku