Imuna Kenta

Everybody has the same birth date she tells me. First of January. That’s how they did it back then. Aunty Imuna speaks fondly of the Mission days where she used to go to Ernabella every day to learn to weave, the batik method and speak English. Winifred Hilliard ran the Art Centre in those days. Ernabella was the first aboriginal community art centre and although they taught Christianity, traditional Pitjantjatjara knowledge and customs were able to be carried on.

Aunty Imuna lived in a traditional shelter with her family and would walk with her friends to the mission every day. She pines for the old days and traditional ways – good times before wama (drinking) and puyu (smoking) were introduced. Traditional ways, traditional foods, she tells me about and she remembers people were much healthier and happier. Families stayed together, went travelling together and hunted for bushtucker.

Today Imuna spends her time between Pukatja community and Adelaide. She is a respected elder and passes on her traditional knowledge to younger generations. Imuna weaves the tjanpi (spinifex grass) with raffia and wool to make birds (tjulpu) dogs (bapa) and lizards (parenti). When she is not weaving or spending time with family, Aunty Imuna sings in a choir.