Haasts Bluff, Northern Territory facts for kids
Haasts Bluff, also known as Ikuntji, is an Aboriginal Australian community. It is located in Central Australia, which is a region of the Northern Territory. The community is about 227 kilometres (141 mi) west of Alice Springs. In 2006, the community and its smaller settlements had a population of 207 people.
History of Haasts Bluff
The Haasts Bluff community gets its name from a nearby rocky outcrop. An explorer named Ernest Giles gave it this name in 1872. He named it after Julius von Haast, a geologist from New Zealand who was born in Germany.
The community was started as a Lutheran mission in 1946. It is home to people from the Western Arrernte, Pintupi, and Pitjantjatjara groups.
The "Finke River Mission" was first another name for the Hermannsburg Mission. Later, this name also included places like Haasts Bluff, Areyonga, and Papunya. Today, it refers to all the work done by Lutheran missionaries in Central Australia since the first mission began in Hermannsburg in 1877.
Art from Haasts Bluff
Many famous Indigenous artists were born, grew up, or lived in Haasts Bluff. Some of these artists include Makinti Napanangka, Daisy Jugadai Napaltjarri, Tjunkiya Napaltjarri, Wintjiya Napaltjarri, Eileen Napaltjarri, Nora Andy Napaltjarri, Ada Andy Napaltjarri, Ngoia Pollard Napaltjarri, Molly Jugadai Napaltjarri, Norah Nelson Napaljarri, Doris Bush Nungarrayi, Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarri, and Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula.
Ikuntji Artists Centre
Ikuntji Artists is a special art centre that helps Aboriginal artists. It is a not-for-profit group, meaning it uses its money to support its goals, not to make a profit. Seven Indigenous directors lead the centre.
This centre was the first art centre started by women in the Western Desert Art Movement. It began as a women's centre in 1992. Molly Jugadai Napaltjarri was very important in helping it become an art centre, with help from Marina Strocchi.
Ikuntji Artists became an official corporation in 2005. Many of the artworks from the centre are now shown in important art collections around Australia and the world. About 100 local artists are part of this centre.
In 2019, an Ikuntji artist named Eunice Napanangka Jack won the Vincent Lingiari Art Award. She won it for her painting called Kuruyultu, which is the name of the place where she was born.
Famous people like singer Jessica Mauboy, Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, and comedian Celeste Barber have worn clothes with designs by Ikuntji artists. Ikuntji art has also been shown in Europe. In September 2022, artists Keturah Zimran and Roseranna Larry traveled to Paris, France. Their designs were shown in fashion shows there.
A book called Ikuntji Textiles was launched in September 2022. This event took place at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney.
