DOB: 1973

BORN: Amata, Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands
LANGUAGE GROUP: Pitjantjatjara
COMMUNITY: Amata, APY Lands

 

Andrea Adamson Tiger (1973–2019) was born to Tony and Kukika Adamson at Amata on the APY Lands, 480kms southwest of Alice Springs. Andrea spent her youth living in Alice Springs where she attended Yirara College and spent some of her schooling in Woodville, South Australia. On her return from schooling, Andrea began work at Uluru as a guide taking visitors around the massive rock and teaching them about the different plants, animal and customs of this area. Andrea was very proud of her heritage and held this time of her life very dear to her heart. Andrea enjoyed sharing her cultural knowledge with visitors to Yubu Napa Gallery in Alice Springs when visitors met her. Her father encouraged her to paint, telling Andrea that she can keep the stories alive when telling them on canvas. She relished the opportunity to do so.

 

Andrea had a deep understanding and knowledge of the traditional customs of the Aṉangu people of this area. She regularly participated in the ancient ceremonies that are held on these lands. During these ceremonies, the women create body paint by grinding ochre into a fine powder. This powder is then mixed with water or Kangaroo oil before being applied to the bodies of both the men and women. Once the ceremonial body paint designs and clothing are adorned, song and dance is used to tell these important stories during the ceremonies.

 

In Andrea's paintings, bold colours represent the land and the various rockholes, sandhills, campsites and ceremonial sites of her Country.

It is at these campsites where ceremonies are conducted and Dreamtime stories shared.