‘Because of her, we can’

Abstract

This year's NAIDOC Week theme, 'Because of her, we can!', brings a timely focus to the historical and continuing contributions made by generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women across all spheres of Australian life. There is perhaps no clearer manifestation of this than at Ernabella Arts, Australia's oldest Aboriginal art centre, which celebrates its seventieth anniversary this year. Established as a 'craft room' by the Presbyterian Board of Missions at the community now known as Pukatja in the far north-west of South Australia in 1948, the centre was a wellspring of Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara women's creativity exclusively for its first 50 years of operation.