Anita Pumani Pitjantjatjara, b. 1982
Place of birth: Indulkana
Language: Pitjantantatjara
Anita Pumani lives at Mimili on the APY Lands in the northwest of South Australia. She grew up in Mimili and attended school in Adelaide. As the oldest daughter to Teresa Mula and Ken Pumani, both senior cultural leaders in Mimili, she learnt about the importance of Tjukurpa early on.
Her grandmother on her father's side was Kunmanara (Milatjari) Pumani- one of the most revered of Mimili's founding artists and her aunt is the award-winning painter, Betty Pumani. Her mother Teresa is one of Mimili Maku’s senior painters. Anita is one of four sisters, and now has three daughters ofher own.
Growing up in such a strong line of women, Anita proudly shares women’s stories in her paintings.
She often references Antara, an important women’s site close to Mimili community, and paints Maku (witchetty grub) Tjukurpa. She has collaborated with her mother and her sisters on a number of works relating the Seven Sisters Story, which is deeply engrained in her family line.
Anita is one of the rising stars of her art centre Mimili Maku and has been an exhibiting artist since 2018.