Emily Lankin

Born in 1931 at Saltukatu (Charlotte Waters), a police station town near the South Australian Border.
Emily mother’s country was Ernabella and Uluru, her father was from Wamitjara, Old Crown.
Saltukatu camp was a Luritja and Arrente community. They did their shopping at Abninga railway station and at Finke “we got rations.”
Emily recall’s that she “lived everywhere especially at Iringka where I grew up. I did not attend school at all. We (Emily’s mother) were running away from welfare. I then went to Lily Creek Station (Wamitjara) at Old Crown where I visited my father and family.”
As an adult she returned to Finke again and worked as a cleaner at the Police Station. “I lived at Finke for quite a while. My son was born at Abminga.” Emily then moved to Kulkara where she worked. At Mt Cavenough she worked as a cleaner.
In the 1950’s Emily moved to Alice Springs, The Bungalow (Old Telegraph Station). “Now I live in Town. I have 2 sons and a daughter.”
Emily began painting at Jukurrpa just after the establishment of the art centre in 1986. Her designs have been used on t-shirts, jewellery and prints.
Whilst Emily’s paintings continue to be popular, sadly she passed away at the end of 2001.
She will be remembered for her love of life, her talents as an artist, and through her art, the memories and stories of her life that she so generously shared.