Hermannsburg Potters: Rehla Kurrka

Hermannsburg Potters present Relha Kurrka, an exhibition of new ceramic works celebrating the people who shape, sustain, and inspire community, culture, and creativity in Ntaria.

In Western Aranda, the word relha directly translates to “person,” but it holds deeper meaning — often referring specifically to First Nations people. In this context, Relha kurrka carries layered significance: not only are these literal ceramic figures, but they also represent First Nations individuals who hold meaning, memory, and cultural power for the artists and their communities.

In 2024, artist Billy Bain travelled to Ntaria (Hermannsburg) to lead clay workshops with local men, supported by Hermannsburg Potters and Men’s Program worker Abel Pareroultja. A Dharug man from Sydney, Bain’s practice explores the complexities of Aboriginal identity in contemporary Australia, often with sharp humour and political edge. In Ntaria, he invited men of all ages to sculpt someone who had influenced their lives — from grandfathers and cultural leaders to Ned Kelly and Richard Bell.

The workshops were more than a technical training. Abel helped bring the group together and took Bain out on Country to Pmurlangkinya (Palm Valley), where they cooked up some roo tail and spent time around the fire — a moment of cultural sharing and connection. In these spaces, Bain and the Hermannsburg fellas found common ground — different histories and experiences, but a shared sense of identity, responsibility and survival as relha: First Nations men connected through culture, story and place.

This exhibition presents the sculptural works made during and after those workshops — figures full of personality, memory and power. In response, the women of Hermannsburg Potters have created their own versions of relha (people): depicted on their signature hand-coiled pots topped with sculptural lids, each a tribute to those who inspire and sustain their vibrant community.

Together, these works celebrate the legacy and future of one of Central Australia’s most iconic art movements — where clay becomes a medium for storytelling, resistance, connection, and pride.