Family Story

JOSINA is a young Pitjantjatjara woman who was born in Mimili, reasonably close to the border of South Australia and the Northern Territory.

As founders of Mimili Maku Arts, her mother, the late Ngupulya Pumani and her grandmother Kunmanara (Milatjari) Pumani taught Josina much about cultural leadership, and also about the strong connection with their country to the Witchetty Grub Dreaming. Josina’s father, Kunmanara (Shannon) Kantji, was a senior Yankunytjatjara leader.

Josina began painting in 2009, and as an arts worker at Mimili Maku Arts, supported the senior artists, while developing skills in canvas preparation.

She moved to Adelaide in 2015 to further her education but since her mother’s passing in 2019 has moved back to Mimili to continue to build on the work of her mother and to continue her art practice.

Her painting style reflects what she learnt from generations of women in her family. Today she is one of Mimili Maku’s rising stars and has exhibited in a number of group shows.