Tjukurpa (pronounced ‘chook-orr-pa’) is the foundation of Aṉangu Culture. In the same way that a house needs to stand on strong foundations, our way of life stands on Tjukurpa.
The word Tjukurpa has many deep and complex meanings. It is the religious philosophy that links Aṉangu to the environment and our ancestors.
Tjukurpa stories talk about the beginning of time when Ancestral Beings first created the world. These stories contain important lessons about the land and how to survive in the desert as well as our rules for appropriate behaviour.
Tjukurpa stories are also used like maps. They tell us where important places are, how to travel from one place to another, and where and when we can find water and food.
