Wippitja at Kings Canyon (2007) by Vincent Forrester Muntjantji,122x122cm Cat 13088VF

Wippitja at Kings Canyon (2007) by Vincent Forrester Muntjantji

The palm-fringed waterholes, towering sandstone cliffs and rugged red floors of Kings Canyon/Watarrka are the traditional lands of the Arrernte and Luritja Peoples, who hold a sacred and spiritual connection with this region. Kings Canyon, also known as Watarrka,

After the rain, water flows from the South-East into a clay-pan below the Kings Canyon escarpment. The wippitja (a kind of possum) leaves footprints in the soft mud that can easily be seen from the air.

Prized ceremonial ochre that comes from a mountain called Karrku is used to depict the footprints. Vincent's aunties are the custodial owners who have the right to collect this ochre.

Aboriginal Australian activist, artist, and community leader. As a founding member of several Aboriginal organizations in central Australia, Forrester has been a prominent political activist on issues affecting Indigenous Australians. He has served as the chairman of the community council at Mutitjulu and was an advisor on Indigenous affairs to the governments of Malcolm Fraser and Bob Hawke during the 1980s. Forrester has been a vocal critic of the Intervention in the Northern Territory and advocates for better economic and educational development in affected communities.

Forrester's artwork and activism work hand in hand to preserve and highlight the rich cultural heritage of Indigenous Australians, drawing attention to both their historical significance and contemporary challenges.