Jimmy Baker facts for kids

Jimmy Baker, also known by his birth name Pintjutjara, was an important Australian Aboriginal artist. He was born around 1915 near Kaṉpi, South Australia. He lived a traditional nomadic life in the desert before his family settled at Ernabella. Baker became a respected traditional healer and started painting later in life. His artworks shared his culture's ancient stories.

Life in the Australian Desert

Jimmy Baker was born around 1915 at Malumpa. This was an old camping spot near what is now Kaṉpi in north-western South Australia. His birth name was Pintjutjara. He had a brother, Toby Ginger Baker, and a sister, Tjuwilya.

Jimmy and his family lived a traditional, nomadic life. They moved around the desert and did not meet people from European society for many years. Their first meeting with White people happened in the early 1920s. This was with Christian missionaries traveling between Ernabella and Warburton.

The missionaries tried to get Jimmy's family to come with them. But Jimmy's father, Tjuwintjara, wanted to keep living in the bush.

Moving to Ernabella

When Jimmy was a teenager, his father met an explorer named Ted Strehlow. Strehlow gave Tjuwintjara food for helping him as a guide. He also gave the family a letter. This letter allowed them to get food at Ernabella.

Because of this, the family decided to leave the desert. They settled at Ernabella shortly after 1930. Jimmy's father was very traditional. He was known for his amazing survival skills and knowledge of the desert.

Life After Settling Down

At Ernabella, Jimmy's first job was baking bread. Because of this, he was given the surname "Baker". He chose the Christian name "Jimmy" himself.

Later, he built fences on nearby stations. He worked first at Kenmore Park and then at Everard Park. In the late 1930s, Jimmy married Nyinmungka. He met her while working at Everard Park.

The couple moved back to Kenmore Park to live. They had one son and two daughters: Anton, Kay, and Marita. All of Jimmy's children became artists. They were also founding members of the Tjunga Palya art center.

A Traditional Healer

In his later years, Jimmy became an important ngangkaṟi. This is a traditional healer. He traveled widely across central Australia. He used his traditional knowledge and skills to help people.

He and his wife lived in Kaltjiti. But Jimmy wanted to move closer to his family's homeland near Malumpa. In the early 1990s, he and two nephews, Ivan and Douglas Baker, started Kaṉpi. This was an outstation for their families.

Jimmy Baker's Artworks

Jimmy did not start painting until 2004. This was only six years before he passed away. For a long time, men's traditional art was seen as sacred by the Pitjantjatjara people. It was not shown in public like women's art.

Men in the north began painting in the 1970s at Papunya Tula. Some people thought this was wrong. This was because sacred knowledge was considered dangerous to share. But the sacred images in the paintings were hidden by dots and lines. As this art style became popular, more Pitjantjatjara men began to paint.

Sharing Stories Through Art

Baker started painting to keep his stories and culture alive. Because he was a ngangkaṟi, he knew many sacred Dreaming stories about his country. His paintings show stories from the time of creation. These stories teach the sacred law (Tjukurpa) for Pitjantjatjara people.

Even though he started very late in life, his paintings quickly became well known. His work was first shown in 2005 at an art show called "Desert Mob" in Alice Springs. It was featured there every year until 2009.

In 2007, Baker was one of thirty artists in a big art show called "Culture Warriors". It showed three of his paintings: Katatjita (2006), Wanampi Kutjara (2006), and Piltati (2007). He was even interviewed on television in South Australia, speaking through a translator.

Style and Legacy

Jimmy Baker painted for only six years. So, he made a small number of artworks. His paintings are rare and were valuable even when he was alive. Most of them are acrylic paintings on canvas. He used rich colors in the "dot" style. This style is very famous in Western Desert art.

Jimmy Baker passed away in 2010. His art is held in many important public and private collections in Australia. These include the Art Gallery of South Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the National Gallery of Australia. Besides his children, several of his grandchildren are also well-known artists who paint for Tjungu Palya.