Haasts Bluff, also known as Ikuntji, is an

Aboriginal Australian Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the T ...

community in Central Australia, a region of the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (commonly abbreviated as NT; formally the Northern Territory of Australia) is an Australian territory in the central and central northern regions of Australia. The Northern Territory shares its borders with Western Au ...

. The community is located in the MacDonnell Shire local government area, west of

Alice Springs Alice Springs ( aer, Mparntwe) is the third-largest town in the Northern Territory of Australia. Known as Stuart until 31 August 1933, the name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William Whitfield Mills after Alice, Lady Todd (''née'' Al ...

. At the 2006 census, the community, including outstations, had a population of 207.

History

The Haasts Bluff community takes its name from the nearby outcrop, given this name in 1872 by the explorer Ernest Giles, after the German-born New Zealand

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, alt ...

, Julius von Haast. The locality was established as a

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

mission in 1946, and is home to Western

Arrernte Arrernte (also spelt Aranda, etc.) is a descriptor related to a group of Aboriginal Australian peoples from Central Australia. It may refer to: * Arrernte (area), land controlled by the Arrernte Council (?) * Arrernte people, Aboriginal Austral ...

Pintupi The Pintupi are an Australian Aboriginal group who are part of the Western Desert cultural group and whose traditional land is in the area west of Lake Macdonald and Lake Mackay in Western Australia. These people moved (or were moved) into ...

and Pitjantjatjara people. The term " Finke River Mission" was initially an alternative name for the Hermannsburg Mission, but this name was later often used to include the settlements at Haasts Bluff, Areyonga and, later, Papunya. It now refers to all Lutheran missionary activity in Central Australia since the first mission was established at Hermannsburg in 1877.

Art

A number of notable

Indigenous artists Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...

were born, raised, or lived at Haasts Bluff, including Makinti Napanangka, Daisy Jugadai Napaltjarri, Tjunkiya Napaltjarri, Wintjiya Napaltjarri, Eileen Napaltjarri, Nora Andy Napaltjarri, Ada Andy Napaltjarri, Ngoia Pollard Napaltjarri, Molly Jugadai Napaltjarri, Norah Nelson Napaljarri, Doris Bush Nungarrayi, Bill Whiskey Tjapaltjarri, and Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula.

Ikuntji Artists

Ikuntji Artists is a

not-for-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

Aboriginal art centre, run by a board of seven Indigenous directors. It was the first art centre established by women in the Western Desert Art Movement, starting out as a women's centre in 1992. Molly Jugadai Napaltjarri played a significant role in its establishment as an art centre, with the assistance of Marina Strocchi. The centre was incorporated as Ikuntji Artists Aboriginal Corporation in 2005, and many of the artists' works are now represented in national and international collections. Around 100 local artists are represented by the centre. In 2019, Ikuntji artist Eunice Napanangka Jack won the

Vincent Lingiari Art Award Vincent Lingiari (13 June 1908 or 1919 – 21 January 1988) was an Australian Aboriginal rights activist and member of the Gurindji people. In his early life he started as a stockman at Wave Hill Station, where the Aboriginal workers were give ...

for her painting titled ''Kuruyultu'', which is the name of her birthplace. Singer Jessica Mauboy, Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney, and Australian comedian

Celeste Barber Celeste Barber (born 6 May 1982) is an Australian comedian and media personality. Early life Celeste was born and raised in Australia, and grew up in the city of Sydney for most of her life. She has a sister. Celeste attended Saint Joseph's ...

have worn clothing featuring design by Ikuntji, and Ikuntji art has been displayed in Europe. In September 2022, artists Keturah Zimran and Roseranna Larry travelled to

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

, France, where their designs were being showcased in fashion shows. A book, ''Ikuntji Textiles'', was launched in September 2022 at the

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia The Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA), located on George Street in Sydney's The Rocks neighbourhood, is solely dedicated to exhibiting, interpreting, and collecting contemporary art, from across Australia and around the world. It is ...

in Sydney.

References

Towns in the Northern Territory Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory {{NorthernTerritory-geo-stub