Nyarapayi Giles

Nyarapayi Giles is one of the respected elder women of the Tjukurla Community. She was bom in the bush at Karku and travelled throughout the Westem Desert region with her mother and step-father, hunting, gathering bushtucker and camping in the traditional way of her ancestors. Her knowledge of the Inma (ceremonies) and Tjukurpa (dreaming stories) associated with the country here is extensive. Nyarapayi settled in Tjukurla when the Community was first established in the 1980’s. She works with ‘punu’ (wood carving) and still enjoys hunting in the bush. She learned to make baskets woven from spinifex in the 80’s and has a large basket on permanent exhibition at the Queensland Art Gallery.