Road Animation

Tjitjiku Tjukurpa

Kungkarankalpa

Tjitjiku Tjukurpa

Kungkarankalpa

Click here to hear Wati Kanyala in English.

Please stop and listen.

About Anangu Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara (APY Lands)

The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands are based in the remote part of far northwest in South Australia. Also known as APY Lands, it covers 103,000 square kilometres of remote desert county.

Language Facts

One

The word Anangu means, person or human being in Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara languages.

Two

There are around 3040 Pitjantjatjara language speakers and around 420 Yankunytjatjara language speakers.

Three

Anangu mainly speak Pitjantjatjara (pronounced as pigeon-jarrah) and Yankunytjatjara (pronounced as young-kun-jarrah) can speak up to six different Aboriginal languages.

Four

Pitjantjatjara are the people who use 'pitjantja' to say 'coming'.

Yankunytjatjara are the people who use 'yankunytja' to say 'going'.

Five

Anangu means 'people' in both Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara.

One

The word Anangu means, person or human being in Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara languages.

Two

There are around 3040 Pitjantjatjara language speakers and around 420 Yankunytjatjara language speakers.

Three

Anangu mainly speak Pitjantjatjara (pronounced as pigeon-jarrah) and Yankunytjatjara (pronounced as young-kun-jarrah) can speak up to six different Aboriginal languages.

Four

Pitjantjatjara are the people who use ‘pitjantja’ to say ‘coming’.

Yankunytjatjara are the people who use ‘yankunytja’ to say ‘going’.

Five

Anangu means ‘people’ in both Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara.

Please stop and listen.

“The Seven Sisters Tjukurpa, our Dreaming creation law, is very important to us, we hold it strongly and teach to the generations who come after us. This Tjukurpa travels through many people’s country.”

Inawinytji Williamson, Senior Cultural Custodian

“There is no map for our Tjukurpa. The map is the land, it is our stories – the creek beds, the rocks, the tracks, the trees, the water. It’s our spirit that tells us, it is a feeling – the feeling that tells us where we need to go. Our grandmothers and grandfathers drew the maps on the sand to tell us ….and this remains within us forever. In our hearts, in our bodies, in our minds.

We use our knowledge of the land to teach our children how to be safe and how to behave. This is why Tjukurpa is so important.”

Tapaya Edwards, Senior Cultural Custodian