A QUICK WORD WITH THEA ANAMARA PERKINS

She is the granddaughter of trailblazing Indigenous activist Charles Perkins, the daughter of art curator Hetti Perkins and a creative force in her own right. The Arrernte and Kalkadoon artist reminisces about childhood trips to the Central Desert region and celebrates those working to preserve cultural stories.

- ALLEY PASCOE

Landing in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) from Sydney is a grounding experience. It feels like coming home. Even as a young child, I recognised the beauty and power of the desert: the deep vibrant colours, the intricate geometry of the landscape, and the arid heat. It's a sensory overload. As a kid, meals in Alice Springs were about coming together and sharing space as a family. My aunt Rachel [Perkins, the filmmaker] is a beautiful cook and would make us spanakopita, spaghetti Bolognese and salads. I remember going hunting for honey ants, goannas and kangaroos, making damper over the fire, and learning about the medicinal herbs and plants out in the bush. Indigenous people have 60,000 years of knowledge and a finely tuned understanding of how much can be taken from the land. There's this mentality that we live for other people. And when it comes to food, the philosophy is one of sharing.