Harry Tjutjuna: Wati Nyiru munu Wanka

This is Wati Nyiru, a man named ‘Nyiru’, who is watching the seven sisters up on the hill near Wyalla, other side of Port Augusta. He watches them go into the cave, he blocks the cave, but the ladies go through the cave and out the other side. Wati Nyiru sleeps and comes back to find that they have gone. He travels to Broken Hill and comes back to Nyipurana looking for them. He then sits down and see the smoke from that ‘kungka mob’, group of girls.

The story travels all across Australia and Harry identifies strongly with this man.

“This is a big spider man. Wati paluru Ngankari (a male healer, traditional doctor). He is a powerful man. When rain comes, he hides in his nest. He is a clever man. At night time he changes colour. His name is Wanka, spider. That’s the story. Minyma wanka Tjuta, these are all the women and children for this man (around him).

I am the spider man, ngankari (healer, traditional doctor).”