Sally Scales is the winner of the 2021 Telstra People’s Choice Award for her work titled Wati Tjakura, 2021, part of the 2021 Telstra National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards.
“Thank you for everyone who voted. What an honour to join all the amazing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. I am lucky to paint with my mother and continue the incredible legacy of my family and arts leaders,” said Scales.
Scales is a Pitjantjatjara woman from Pipalyatjara in the far west of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands whose winning painting depicts Watiti Tjakura, an edible skink lizard creation story that took place at Aralya, and features in the 2021 Telstra NATSIAA exhibition, presented by the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) in Darwin in partnership with Telstra.
“The Wal Mala (army) of Wati Wanambi (snake men) from Malara came and threw spears at Wati Tjakura. He tried to escape but they killed him. His family came down to bury him,” explains Scales.
