Ungakini Tjangala

Born in 1934 at Blackstone, Western Australia, Ungakini lives and works at Ernabella.

“I was born at Blackstone, Western Australia, where I grew up with my family. I came to Ernabella mission as a young woman with my mother, father and two younger brothers. I began working in the craft room and I made floor rugs from the wool the older women were spinning and I helped rolling them into bales. I did not learn how to weave, nor how to paint and I never did batik. A number of my old workmates now live in other communities that did not exist then, namely Fregon, Amata and Pipalyatjara. I continue to work at the art centre after I got married, but, I also had various demestic jobs. I took up bread making with Mr Bill Edwards. The baking was done in the house where anilaya office now is, the oven is still there. I had four children at that time. The last few years have been sad for me. I lost my first son in 2000 and my mother died the same year. My husband passed away in 2002. I first started to make art in 2002. First, mukata (beanies) from emu feathers, then I made figures from tjanpi (Spinifex grass) and now I am painting on canvas – for the first time”