This is a story of how Anangu lived happily before the missions came to the lands. Anangu were healthy, building wiltjas for shelter, eating bush tucker and wearing dingo skins to keep warm. They would move from place to place when the kapi (water) would run out. Cynthia's mother lived on Tjuntjuntjara (Spinifex) country. In the 1950's the British Government began conducting nuclear tests at Maralinga, South Australia. The fall out from this affected many Anangu, seriously affecting their lives and health. Cynthia's mother moved to Cundeelee mission near Ilkurla where she hoped to be well looked after by the whitefella's. The whitefella's paid Anangu in tobacco, alcohol and sugar on the missions and this made Anangu sick.
76 x 101cm: acrylic on canvas
23-345
