Iga Warta is a small Aboriginal community in the North of the Flinders Ranges.

The Aboriginal people of the Flinders Ranges are a mix of the formerly distinct but related Wailpi, Kuyani, Jadliaura, Piladappa and Pangkala groups. Today they collectively identify themselves as the ADNYAMATHANHA, which literally means <br><i>hills people.

The most important Ochre Pits within Australia are situated in IGA WARTA.
The Aboriginal people of this place traded with ochre thousands of miles all over the continent.

I visited the quarry together with Terrence Coulthard, an elder of the community. Before we dug out the SOIL, he told me about the various and special meanings of ochre for the indigenous people of Australia.

After collecting 5 samples of OCHRE, Terrence strew 5 circles on the ground, lit a fire and we hugged ourselves. Between us the smoke rose up to the sky and in this way the harmony with Mother EARTH was restored.