WANAMPI - RAINBOW SERPENT OF THE DESERT

Aug 23, 2026

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WANAMPI: Rainbow Serpent of the Desert explores Wanampi Tjukurpa in Central Australia among Pitjantjatjara-speaking Anangu, linking origin Spirit beings to living law, morality, and continuing relationships. Through a contemporary exhibition of Indigenous art, it highlights how senior law artists’ traditional knowledge shapes distinct visual sensibilities, supported by regional art centres and specific production sites. The text also introduces Wanampi as dangerous, revered water-serpent beings connected to waterholes, springs, and communication rituals, contrasting visitor rules at sites such as the Mann Ranges and Uluru.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatDOC

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

AccessFree to download

WANAMPI: Rainbow Serpent of the Desert

Wanampi Tjukurpa and Anangu cultural law

Western Desert background and historical context

Art centres and how works were produced

What is Wanampi?

Wanampi legends, forms, and symbolism

Visiting sites: permission, fire, and rules

WANAMPI: RAINBOW SERPENT OF THE DESERT Wanampi: Rainbow Serpent of the Desert demonstrates different aspects of the Wanampi Tjukurpa found in the country of the Pitjantjatjara speaking Anangu (people) in Central Australia. Tjukurpa is an Anangu word that embodies religion, law and morality. The beliefs exist in an unchanging connection of relationships from origins in the period of the Spirit Ancestral beings through countless successive generations to today. By surveying the paintings of senior law men and women who, amongst artists in the region have had the greatest access to traditional life, this exhibition reveals engaging and unique visual sensibilities as important stories are documented in a contemporary context rather than through traditional means. One might expect to see paintings executed in the limited palette favoured by artists from Papunya, further north in the Northern Territory. Instead it is boldness in colour use, and in some cases an expressionist approach to painterly style, that ably projects the deep passions felt by these elders for their beliefs and culture. The Pitjantjatjara artists featured in this exhibition demonstrate a strong artistic voice that sets them apart from other streams of Aboriginal artistic practice. This essay accompanies an exhibition of Indigenous art from the collection of Dr David and Linnett Turner plus one work contributed by the author. Anangu live in a region generally referred to as the Western Desert. Anthropologist Ronald Berndt, described the Western Desert area as stretching across western South Australia into eastern and north-eastern Western Australia. This includes part of the Gibson and Great Victoria deserts in addition to the Petermann, Rawlinson, Warburton, Blackstone, Tomkinson, Mann, Everard and Musgrave Ranges. Pitjantjatjara speaking Anangu country is mostly in the north-west of South Australia, extending across the border into the Northern Territory to just south of Lake Amadeus, and west to the vicinity of Kaltukatjara (Docker River). The country has a very hot, dry desert climate with short, cool to cold winters and receives a low and unreliable rainfall. The European history of this area covers a moment in time compared with the culturally rich and enduring Aboriginal history of the region. While European history can be traced back to around 1873, Aboriginal history extends back thousands of years. In 1933, when Scottish surgeon, Dr Charles Duguid arranged the purchase of a sheep station to establish a mission at Ernabella, he formed a policy of voluntary adaptation. The Presbyterian missionaries learnt the Anangu culture and language, provided regular food, offered the Indigenous people education, skills and employment. This allowed Anangu the freedom to continue living their traditional lifestyle including ceremonial activities if they wished. Some of the artists in this exhibition were born out bush when European impact was minimal. They lived a traditional life, travelling in small family groups across the Western Desert and maintaining a lifestyle rich in ceremonies and traditional observances. This developed a strong connection to their country and environment. Anangu owned art centres throughout the Western Desert support the work of these artists and all the works in this exhibition were purchased from South Australian art centres in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands (APY Lands). The acrylic paintings on canvas were produced at Tjungu Palya Art Centre which services the communities of Watarru, Nyapari and Kanpi, the ink on magnani paper work is from Kaltjiti Arts and Crafts at Fregon and also included in this exhibition is a ceramic piece produced at Ernabella Arts, Australia’s oldest Indigenous arts centre having operated continuously since 1948. What is Wanampi? Legends of Great Serpents such as Wanampi belong in one form or another to all Australian Indigenous language groups. Collectively referred to as Rainbow Serpents, they a

FAQs

What does Tjukurpa mean in the Anangu context described here?

Tjukurpa embodies religion, law, and morality, expressing an enduring connection from Spirit origins to present-day generations. It defines living relationships across time.

How does the exhibition present Wanampi Tjukurpa through art?

It surveys paintings by senior law men and women with deep access to traditional life, showing how important stories are documented in a contemporary context. The text emphasizes bold colour use and expressive painterly approaches.

What is Wanampi according to the legends and descriptions in the document?

Wanampi is the Pitjantjatjara word for a water serpent, described as a very dangerous creature that lives in and guards waterholes. It may appear as a rainbow when offended and is revered by Anangu while capable of harming intruders.

Aug 23, 2026

Upload by Mason