Tjunkaya Tapaya OAM (b. c 1947) is a senior Tjanpi Desert Weaver with work spanning across printmaking, ceramics and fibre-based work. Born in the desert in the far northwest of South Australia, Tjunkaya is a member of the Pitjantjatjara people, holding senior positions in her community and is a keeper of culture and stories. These stories and experiences underpin her art practice, weaving these significant elements of culture throughout her work, passing on skills and culture to new generations of makers.
Tjanpi Desert Weavers is a not-for-profit Indigenous social enterprise of the NPY Women's Council, a resource, advocacy and support organisation for Aboriginal women living in remote communities across the western and central deserts. It was created out of a need for meaningful and culturally appropriate employment and to enable women to earn a regular income from selling their fibre art.
Growing up, she spent her young life working in the craft room of the Ernabella Mission learning stitching skills, which developed into a fine technical ability to sculpt native and raffia grasses. Tapaya's art practice is often collaborative, driving her to lead large creative group projects. As an artist and cultural leader, she is concerned with passing down her craft skills and runs regular workshops at the Ernabella Primary School teaching weaving, woodwork and painting. Her practice reflects a female-specific responsibility for looking after country, people and knowledge which is acknowledged, supported and sustained through art making.
Tjanpi Desert Weavers have exhibited extensively, with their work held in a number of public and private collections including the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Australia and British Museum. Tapaya's work is held in a number of public collections including the Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; National Museum of Australia, Canberra; Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane and the British Museum, London.
