Summary

Pantjiti carved this walawuru (eagle) feeding its three chicks from a piece of River Red Gum root. Anangu artists have a long tradition of carving stylised representations of the animals and birds from their country, and like the one made by Pantjiti these are often decorated with the natural markings of the animal. Artists use a piece of wire heated in a fire to burn the walka (designs) into the punu (wood carving). The walawuru (eagle) is one of 178 species of birds that inhabit Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, they all have cultural significance to the Anangu through their associations with the Tjukurpa, the stories of the Creation Ancestors and the activities that shaped the land, the people and their Law.

Physical Description

An eagle and 3 chicks carved from a single piece of Red gum. The artist has used a piece of wire heated over an open fire to burn a design onto the carving.

Significance

Maruku Arts is an Aboriginal artist cooperative that first opened an outlet at the base of Uluru in 1984 and now serves more than 800 Anangu artists from 18 communities. Pantjiti was amongst the initial arists whose punu (wood carving) was sold at Maruku.

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