Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters

Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters was an Aboriginal-led exhibition that took visitors on a journey along the epic Seven Sisters Dreaming tracks, through art, First Nations voices and innovative multimedia and other immersive displays.

Songlines is touring internationally after its debut at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.

Walking through a Songline, a pop-up digital experience based on part of the Songlines exhibition is also on tour.

Digital dome experiences

The exhibition took visitors on a journey across the Australian desert and featured an immersive 6-metre, state-of-the-art dome.

Travelling Kungkarangkalpa 7.31

The Travelling Kungkarangkalpa Art Experience features artworks, animations and vision of the Seven Sisters flying into the night sky, narrated by Shellie Morris.

Travelling Kungkarangkalpa Walinynga (Cave Hill) 7.42

The Travelling Kungkarangkalpa Walinynga (Cave Hill) Experience transports you to this previously unfilmed Seven Sisters rock art site, with the voice of traditional owner Stanley Douglas.

Seven Sisters interactives

The Seven Sisters story is one of pursuit and escape, desire and magic and the power of family bonds. Explore the remote rock art site at Walinynga (Cave Hill) and the story of the creation of the tjanpi figures Seven Sisters Are Flying.

Featured artworks

Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters journeyed along the Ancestral routes of the Seven Sisters as they fled across deserts, pursued relentlessly by a sorcerer. Stories originally performed on country are shared in new ways, with artworks becoming portals to the deserts of the Martu, the Ngaanyatjarra and the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara peoples.

Yarrkalpa - click to view larger image — *Yarrkalpa* (*Hunting Ground*) by Martumili Artists

Minyipuru at Pangkal - click to view larger image — *Minyipuru at Pangkal* by Martumili Artists

- click to view larger image — *Pangkapini, Minyipuru* by Mulyatingki Marney, Martumili Artists

Kungkarrangkalpa - click to view larger image — *Kungkarrangkalpa* by Judith Yinyika Chambers, Warakurna Artists

Tjukurrpa Kungkarrangkalpa - click to view larger image — *Tjukurrpa Kungkarrangkalpa* by Tjapartji Kanytjuri Bates, Warburton Arts Project

Parnngurr Rock Hole - click to view larger image — *Parnngurr Rock Hole* by Bugai Whyoulter, Martumili Artists

Minyipuru Pangkalpa - click to view larger image — *Minyipuru Pangkalpa* by Nancy Nyanjilpayi Chapman, Martumili Artists

Tjukurrpa Kungkarrangkalpa Kulyuru and Kuru Ala - click to view larger image — *Tjukurrpa Kungkarrangkalpa — Kulyuru and Kuru Ala* by by Betty Laidlaw and Nyumitja Laidlaw, Warburton Arts Project

Featured artists

More than 100 artists are represented in Songlines. Learn more about the remarkable women who created the featured artworks above.

Yaritji Young, Freda Brady, Maringka Tunkin and Tjungkara Ken, 2016:

We are all kanguru pulka, big sisters, to the young women. Like in the Seven Sisters story – we must teach and protect our young sisters. This is like our painting, too. When we work together as a family, we are learning and teaching each other and our young sisters and daughters … this important Tjukurpa.

Portrait of a woman - click to view larger image

Portrait of a man - click to view larger image

Tjapartji Kanytjuri Bates

born about 1933, Yinunmaru, died 2015
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Warburton, Warakurna, Wanarn communities
Warburton Arts Project, Warakurna Artists

Ngamaru Bidu

born about 1950
Martilirri Manyjilyjarra language group
Parnngurr community
Martumili Artists

Yikartu Bumba

born 1940s, Lalyipuka
Manyjilyjarra language group
Punmu community
Martumili Artists

Nyurpaya Kaika Burton

born 1948
Atila Pitjantjatjara language group
Amata, Pukatja communities
Tjala Arts, Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Alison Milyika Carroll

born 1958, Pukatja
Pitjantjatjara language group
Pukatja community
Ernabella Arts

Judith Yinyika Chambers

born 1958, Mitjika, a rock hole near Warburton
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Warakurna community
Warakurna Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers,
Maruku Arts

May Wokka Chapman

born about 1940, Nuru
Manyjilyjarra language group
Punmu community
Martumili Artists

Nancy Nyanjilpayi Chapman

born about 1942, Jantinti
Manyjilyjarra language group
Punmu community
Martumili Artists

Jennifer Mintiyi Connelly

born 1964, Mulga Park
Pitjantjatjara, Ngaanyatjarra language groups
Mantamaru community
Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Belle Karrika Davidson

born about 1942, Papulankutja
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Warburton, Irrunytju, Papulankutja communities
Irrunytju Arts, Papulankutja Arts, Tjanpi
Desert Weavers

Nora Nyutjanka Davidson

born 1955, Multju, near Mantamaru
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Papulankutja community
Maruku Arts, Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi
Desert Weavers

Lorraine Davies

born 1951, at a rock hole near Warburton
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Tjuntjuntjara community
Spinifex Arts Project

Brenda Douglas

born 1986, Alice Springs
Pitjantjatjara language group
Amata, Walinynga communities
Tjala Arts

Elizabeth Dunn

born 1973, Pukatja
Pitjantjatjara language group
Pukatja community
Ernabella Arts, Papunya Tjupi Arts

Janet Nyumitji Forbes

born 1962, Warburton Ranges
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Papulankutja community
Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers,
Maruku Arts

Kumpaya Girgirba

born about 1933, Kunawarritji
Manyjilyjarra language group
Parnngurr community
Martumili Artists

Debbie Hansen

born about 1967, Cundeelee mission
Pitjantjatjara language group
Cundeelee, Tjuntjuntjara communities
Spinifex Arts Project

Estelle Inyika Hogan

born 1937, Paltatatjara
Pitjantjatjara language group
Tjuntjuntjara community
Spinifex Arts Project

Rupert Jack

born 1951, Mimili
Pitjantjatjara language group
Pukatja community
Ernabella Arts

Thelma Judson

born about 1956, Percival Lakes region
Manyjilyjarra language group
Parnngurr community, Port Hedland
Martumili Artists

Ilawanti Ungkutjuru Ken

born about 1944, Watarru
Pitjantjatjara language group
Amata, Pukatja communities
Tjala Arts, Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Betty Laidlaw

born about 1945, Kulyuru, died 2013
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Warburton community
Warburton Arts Project, Kayili Artists

Nyumitja Laidlaw

born about 1934, Tjintjularra, died 2011
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Warburton, Patjarr communities
Warburton Arts Project, Kayili Artists

Janet Nuyunkanya Lane

born 1970, Warburton Ranges
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Papulankutja community
Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Miriam Iwana Lane

born 1971, Warburton
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Mantamaru, Mimili communities
Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Elaine Warnatjura Lane

born 1954, Kutukampara, near Mantamaru
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Papulankutja community
Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers,
Maruku Arts

Freda Yimunya Lane

born about 1940, Wiltjur, between
Papulankutja and Irrunytju
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Papulankutja community
Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Claudia Yayimpi Lewis

born 1979
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Papulankutja community
Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Lynette Lewis

born 1979, Alice Springs
Pitjantjatjara language group
Pukatja community
Ernabella Arts

Niningka Lewis

born about 1945, Maniyn
Pitjantjatjara language group
Curtin Springs, Pukatja, Kalka, Mutitjulu communities
Maruku Arts, Tjanpi Desert Weavers,
Ernabella Arts

Niningka Lewis

Rachael Mipantjiti Lionel

born 1976, Alice Springs
Pitjantjatjara language group
Pukatja community
Ernabella Arts

Mildred Nginana Lyons

born 1960s, Warburton
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Warburton, Papulankutja communities
Tjanpi Desert Weavers, Maruku Arts

Paula Sarkaway Lyons

born 1980, Kalgoorlie
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Papulankutja community
Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Mulyatingki Marney

born about 1941, Nyinyiri
Manyjilyjarra language group
Punmu community
Martumili Artists

Anawari Inpiti Mitchell

born 1959, Kampurarrpapirti
Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara language groups
Warburton, Papulankutja communities
Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers,
Maruku Arts

Angilyiya Tjapiti Mitchell

born 1953, Blackstone Ranges, near Kumanarra Bore
Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara language groups
Papulankutja community
Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers,
Maruku Arts

Jennifer Nginyaka Mitchell

born 1955, Kala Tjuti
Pitjantjatjara language group
Papulankutja community
Papulankutja Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers,
Maruku Arts

Yuwali Janice Nixon

born about 1947, Martilirri
Manyjilyjarra language group
Parnngurr community
Martumili Artists

Mary Katatjuku Pan

born about 1944, Watarru
Pitjantjatjara language group
Amata, Pukatja communities
Tjala Arts, Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Myrtle Pennington

born about 1939, Karnpa
Pitjantjatjara language group
Cundeelee, Tjuntjuntjara communities
Spinifex Arts Project

Reena Rogers

born about 1940, near Taarl
Manyjilyjarra language group
Punmu community
Martumili Artists

Ngalpingka Simms

born about 1945, Wayiyul
Ngaanyatjarra language group
Warburton, Tjuntjuntjara communities
Spinifex Arts Project

Tjunkaya Tapaya

born 1946, Atila
Pitjantjatjara language group
Pukatja community
Ernabella Arts, Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Kanu Nancy Taylor

born about 1940, Karlamilyi River
Warnman, Manyjilyjarra language groups
Parnngurr, Karlamilyi and Punmu communities
Martumili Artists

Ngalangka Nola Taylor

born about 1951, Wirrinyalkujarra
Manyjilyjarra language group
Parnngurr community
Martumili Artists

Carlene Thompson

born 1950, Pukatja
Pitjantjatjara language group
Pukatja community
Ernabella Arts, Tjanpi Desert Weavers

Janelle Muwitja Nakamarra Thompson

born 1989, Alice Springs
Pitjantjatjara language group
Pukatja community
Ernabella Arts

Fiona Wells

born 1983, Pukatja
Pitjantjatjara language group
Pukatja community
Ernabella Arts

Bugai Whyoulter

born about 1940, Pukayiyirna
Warnman, Kartujarra language groups
Kunawarritji community
Martumili Artists

Tjimpuna Williams

born 1976, Pukatja
Pitjantjatjara language group
Pukatja community
Ernabella Arts

Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters 15 Sep 2017

Songlines audio journey

Connect with the Seven Sisters as they travel across the land pursued by a mischievous shape-shifter in this audio tour originally developed for the Songlines exhibition. Contains sexual references.

Alison Page, Duncan Smith and Ursula Yovich