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Betty Muffler facts for kids

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Betty Muffler is an important Aboriginal Australian artist. She is also a ngangkari, which means she is a traditional healer. Betty works as a senior artist at Iwantja Arts in Indulkana, South Australia. She is well-known for her large paintings on linen called Ngangkari Ngura (Healing Country).

About Betty Muffler's Early Life

Betty Muffler was born in 1944 near Watarru, South Australia. She belongs to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara peoples. She calls a place named Yalungu her special land. This place is south of Watarru, and emus often visit its waterhole.

Betty grew up at the Ernabella Mission in Pukatja. This was after the British nuclear tests at Maralinga in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Seeing the problems and sadness caused by these tests deeply affected her. This experience has inspired much of her artwork. She often shows healing as a main idea in her paintings.

Her Artistic Journey

Betty Muffler began painting later in her life. She joined the artists at Iwantja Arts in Indulkana. She creates art using different methods. These include painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture.

Her personal tjukurpa (a special cultural story or "Dreaming") is the emu. Her artwork also shares other parts of her culture's tjukurpa. Many of her paintings have the same title, Ngangkari Ngura (Healing Country). She uses acrylic paint on linen for these works. All her paintings show her Country and her connection to her songlines.

Betty also attended cultural events. Here, she learned to weave tjanpi baskets. She later made large baskets for Tjanpi Desert Weavers.

Awards and Recognition for Her Art

Betty Muffler won the "Best emerging artist" award in 2017. This was at the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards (NATSIAA awards). She won with her painting Ngangkaṟi Ngura (Healing Country).

Nici Cumpston is an art curator at the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA). She thinks Betty's quick rise to fame is well-deserved. Nici included Betty's art in the 2020 Open Hands exhibition. This show featured works by important women artists from remote communities.

Betty Muffler's art was even on the cover of Vogue Australia magazine. This happened in September 2020. She created a special version of Ngangkaṟi Ngura (Healing Country) for it. This artwork was part of a worldwide campaign called "Vogue Hope". It was created with the National Gallery of Australia during the early COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. The Vogue cover artwork was later shown in the Know My Name exhibition. Vogue Australia gave this painting to the gallery.

Her Healing Practice

Betty Muffler is a traditional healer, or ngangkari. Her aunties from her father's family taught her these healing skills. She uses her healing abilities to work with the NPY Women's Council and other doctors. She helps people in the APY Lands.

She has also worked in hospitals in Adelaide, Coober Pedy, Whyalla, and Alice Springs. There, she helps to heal the spirits of anangu people. Betty says she does not always need to travel to the person. She believes her eagle spirit can fly across the desert to find sick people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people asked for her help. They wanted her to heal anxiety in the APY Lands.

Other Important Roles

Betty Muffler is a director for Iwantja Arts. She also gives cultural advice to the APY Collective. This group includes ten Indigenous-owned art businesses.

Awards and Achievements

Where to See Her Art

Betty's Family Life

Betty Muffler married a man from Iwantja. She has two sons and a daughter who live there. She also has family in Coober Pedy and many grandchildren.

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