Margaret Richards

Margaret’s painting is of her country on the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands. Margaret describes her painting as Walka which means any meaningful mark or design. Walka may be an image on a cave wall, on rock or on sand and has cultural and ritual significance. It is used on the body during inma or ceremony. Margaret is influenced stylistically by Milpatjunany – drawing in the sand, which is a way of passing on traditional knowledge about law and culture as well as about country. Survival meant knowing and understanding every aspect of living off the land and in particular the food and water sources. Visual representation through sand drawings gave clarity to the stories through images.