Location: Katiti Petermann IPA

Date: 14 – 06 – 2019

Objective: To facilitate senior punu makers in punu collection and to share this activity with Keishani (10yo). This punu collection was needed to supply punu for new projects and had the added bonus of teaching Keishani.

Staff: Jowel Hyne and Sarah Hall

Artists: Niningka Lewis, Rene Kulitja, Selina Kulitja, Kathryn Queama and Keishani

Gathering Everyone: The Maruku punu van was used to collect Niningka from the Mutitjulu aged care facility and the other artists from community. After eating lunch together in Yulara, we set off along the Lasseter Highway to source an appropriate location to collect punu.

Collection process: Once the ladies had determined where to stop, we unloaded the troopy and set to work upon the two sandy banks of the road, which were populated with mature Muur-Muurpa (Desert Bloodwood) and Iṯaṟa (River Red Gum). Initially the ladies worked together upon the one tree but eventually split up upon the two banks, sourcing different cuts and lengths of trunk, branch and root wood.

Niningka waited below in her walker as her mobility is constricted. Rene cut a stack of small and skinny lengths of punu that Niningka could work on later from within Aged Care.

Meanwhile, Keishani was guided by Jowel in the use of the pruning saw and axe and was able to cut mature Muur-Muurpa hardwood. The ladies guided Keishani and Sarah how to select, cut and prepare punu for carving.