Uti Kulintjaku Minymaku

The Uti Kulintjaku Project is an award-winning social initiative led by senior Aṉangu women and Ngangkari who work with interpreters and mainstream health practitioners to improve Aṉangu mental health and wellbeing. The term “uti kulintjaku” originates from Pitjantjatjara and signifies the essence of ‘listening, thinking, and understanding clearly’.

The Uti Kulintjaku project began in 2012 when a group of senior Aṉangu women and Ngangkari, deeply concerned about their community’s wellbeing, took steps to address mental health issues. During a series of workshops, Uti Kulintjaku compiled an extensive compendium of Ngaanyatjarra and Pitjantjatjara words related to wellbeing and emotions as well as their English translations. While developing this work, the Uti Kulintjaku Minymaku team recognised the need to engage with entire families, including men, to achieve sustainable change.

Uti Kulintjaku draws on the best of western and Aṉangu knowledge systems to find new ways to address the challenging issues related to improving Aṉangu social, emotional and physical wellbeing. Uti Kulintjaku encourages deeper conversations about mental health and healing for Aṉangu and people working in Aboriginal health and related services.