Betty Muffler

Kalaya Tjina Tjuta – Emu Tracks

Melbourne Art Fair (19 – 22 February 2026) & Jan Murphy Gallery (4 – 21 March 2026)

19 February – 21 March 2026

“My name is Betty Muffler. My birthplace is Yalungu. Yalungu is my real place. There are emus there. A group of emus. Those emus are alive in the site. It’s rocky. It’s in rockhill country. I am a Ngangkari healer. And it is as a Ngangkari that I paint. The eagle is my father’s spirit. The eagle itself is not a Ngangkari but has a special vision which I can use. And also, I am a painter of emus. They are a significant part of my birthplace, the walking emus. I paint their tracks, belonging to the site, Yalungu. There is water there, and the emus are standing drinking the water, and then walking along. Yes, I have made many works detailing this on canvas. And, yes, I also paint hands – the hands of a healer, and I the eagle that I have inside. If a person’s spirit is absent, then I will send the eagle out to see, as I wait. Then it can be returned! And the person is awakened, healed!

My artworks are about Ngangkari, what it feels like and what it means to be Ngangkari – so they’re really important to me. They’re all about my feelings and thoughts about my Ngangkari work. Ngangkari like me can see spirits and feel a lot of different energy. When I’m painting or drawing I’m feeling the good energy – it’s connecting with my spirit and all of these feelings become part of the artwork.” – Betty Muffler

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