About Walter Pukutiwara
Lived 1930 – 2004 (aged 73–74). Walter Pukutiwara was a sculptor.
Walter Pukutiwara (1930 – 10 November 2004) was an Aboriginal artist from central Australia.
He crafted traditional tools, such as spears and spear-throwers, and wooden sculptures, known in Western Desert languages as . He made these by carving the wood and then engraving patterns into its surface with a burning wire. This technique is called pokerwork. The patterns engraved into the objects depict , spiritual stories about creation ancestors from the Dreamtime. The National Museum of Australia contains many examples of Walter's works.
This article includes text from the Powerhouse Museum, Australia, which has been licensed under CC BY-SA.
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Important facts
Family & relationships
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Walter Pukutiwara's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Walter Pukutiwara?
painter
When was Walter Pukutiwara born?
Walter Pukutiwara was born in 1930 in Northern Territory, Uluṟu.
When did Walter Pukutiwara die?
Walter Pukutiwara died on 10 November 2004 in Alice Springs.
What was Walter Pukutiwara's occupation?
Walter Pukutiwara was a sculptor.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Walter Pukutiwara
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Walter Pukutiwara. https://biography.guide/walter-pukutiwara/
MLA: "Walter Pukutiwara." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/walter-pukutiwara/.
Chicago: "Walter Pukutiwara." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/walter-pukutiwara/.
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