Yvonne (Stacia) Lewis

Irruntyju (Wingellina) WA

Yvonne is a Ngaanyatjarra woman who learnt to make baskets in Irryuntju from the old ladies there, in particular, Mrs Woods, Mrs Cooper, Mrs Martin, Tjawina Roberts, and Ivy Hopkins. She then taught her sister Rene Nelson to make baskets. Yvonne is a consistent weaver who usually makes smaller neat works. She also paints, usually depicting bush tucker stories.

Yvonne was born in the bush at Wankarin near Kaltukatjara (Docker River) in the Northern Territory. Her father was Talarangu Lewis from Pupulilli near Mount Bernie and her mother was Atipalku from Illurpa area towards Warburton Ranges. As a young girl she used to travel with her parents living off the land around Warburton, Mount Bernie and Linden Bore. It was during this time that she learnt numerous traditional skills and practices.

She then attended the mission school in Warburton but again would travel around the region on foot with her parents during the holidays. For a while she also went to school in (Kaltukatjara) Docker River and Areyonga but then went back to Warburton. She then married her husband Dimpan who came from Amata and who had three children who all grew up in Irrunytju (Wingellina).