Ningie Nanala Kukatja, b. 1930

Ningie was born in the Pippar/Kiwirrkurra area. Her mother and father died when she was very young and she came to the Balgo Mission at the invitation of Aboriginal people living there. Her family group was camped at Lirrwati, close to Balgo. Like many people at that time, she returned to her own country before settling more permanently at the Old Mission, first at Tjalyiwarn, then at its present site at Wirrimanu from 1962. As a young girl, she tended the mission goats, gathering bush food for them to eat. Ningie married and had four children. After her first husband passed away, she married Tjumpo Tjapanangka (deceased), another important Balgo artist, and had a further five children.

Ningie has been a prominent Balgo artist for many years, her bold and dramatic style is highly sought after, and her unique application of thick ‘rivers’ of paint result in a highly unique style. In her later years Ningie has developed a ‘loose’ style of painting as a result of her frailty and loss of eyesight, this has developed into a wild and uninhibited style which only comes with age and a deep knowledge of country. Ningie loves to paint and is a dedicated and prolific artist.

Her work is held in collections including Artbank and Kluge Ruhe Collection, USA