Tjuntjuntjara, Indigenous settlement in Great Victoria Desert, Western Australia.
Tjuntjuntjara is a community located in the southern section of the Great Victoria Desert, approximately 560 kilometers northeast of Kalgoorlie. The settlement includes residential buildings, craft workshops, and community facilities spread across the arid landscape.
The community was established in 1988 following the drilling of a water bore to create a new home for the Spinifex people. This settlement came about because the group had been displaced by British nuclear testing at Maralinga decades earlier.
The Spinifex people maintain strong connections to the desert through storytelling and traditional practices passed down across generations. Their way of life reflects deep knowledge of the land and its rhythms that shape daily activities.
Visitors need to obtain a permit from the Pila Nguru Aboriginal Corporation before entering the settlement. Plan your visit in advance since supplies arrive from Ceduna and access depends on prior arrangements.
The residents speak the Pitjantjatjara language and identify as pilanguṟu, which means people from the sand hills. This self-designation reflects their historical connection to specific landscapes within their territory.
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