Wawiriya Burton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wawiriya Burton
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|---|---|
| Born | 1920s |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Other names | Wawiya Burton |
| Occupation | Artist |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Style | Western Desert art |
Wawiriya Burton (born around 1928 – died 2021) was a talented Australian Aboriginal artist. She was famous for her bright acrylic paintings. Her artworks often told important, sacred stories from the Dreamtime. The Dreamtime is a special time when the world was created, according to Aboriginal beliefs.
Wawiriya belonged to the Pitjantjatjara people. She was also a ngangkaṟi, which means she was a traditional healer. This role gave her a deep understanding of her community's sacred traditions.
Who Was Wawiriya Burton?
Wawiriya Burton was born in the 1920s in the outback of central Australia. This was near a place called Pipalyatjara. She grew up living a traditional, nomadic life. This means her family moved around a lot, following the seasons and food sources. They lived in her father's homeland, which is now around Pipalyatjara.
Becoming an Artist
Wawiriya lived in Amaṯa. In 2008, she started working at the Tjala Arts centre. This art centre was first called Minymaku Arts. It was started by the women of the community in 1999.
When Wawiriya first joined, she made wood carvings. She also created baskets from a type of grass called spinifex. Later, she learned to paint from the other women artists at the centre. This is how she became a painter.
Her Art and Exhibitions
Wawiriya's paintings are special. They show parts of the sacred Dreamtime stories. However, like many Aboriginal artworks, the full meaning is often hidden. This is done for cultural reasons. Only people who have been taught the traditions can fully understand them.
Her amazing artworks have been shown in many exhibitions. These shows took place in big cities across Australia. Some of these cities include Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, and Alice Springs.
Her paintings are also kept in important art galleries. You can find her work in the National Gallery of Victoria. It is also in the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Art Gallery of South Australia. This shows how important and valued her art is.
