Remembering Daphne Puntjina

Daphne Puntjina was born on Tempe Downs Cattle Station, south-west of Alice Springs, in 1944. Her parents had been living a traditional lifestyle around the Petermann Ranges but decided to move to Areyonga for better health care, food supplies, and schooling for the children. While at school, Daphne enjoyed singing and learning bible stories.

Daphne married in 1958. Tragically, her husband died during a fight, just before their son Rodney was born. She and little Rodney were baptised in 1960 by Pastor Leo Kalleske at Areyonga.

After learning the Christian faith, she began teaching Sunday school and religious instruction at the local school after encouragement from Pastor Kalleske. Later, she began helping adults lead community devotions. When the Kalleskes left in 1986, she led worship regularly at Areyonga, up until 2024.

She grew to know the Kalleske family well, initially working as their cleaner in 1962 and developing a friendship with the family that continued even after the death of Pastor and Mrs Kalleske.

Daphne led the Areyonga Choir since 1966, and in 1971, she travelled with the choir to Darwin to compete in the NT music eisteddfods. The mixed choir performed a number of pieces and she sang a solo arrangment, winning the competition.

The Areyonga Choir was later invited by Morris Stuart to help form the current Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir (CAAWC). Daphne toured and performed with this choir locally, interstate and overseas. She also helped translate many hymns into her first language, Pitjantjatjara, and was a major contributor to the Pitjantjatjara hymnals of 1995 and 2010.

She was very knowledgeable of Aboriginal lore, and a keen hunter of small game and prized native tobacco. She served her local community council as chairperson for five years while Areyonga won the 1998 NT Tidy Towns award. As part of the award presentation, they lowered her onto a hill behind the community with a helicopter.

In 2004, she received the NT Citizen of the Year award. When she retired, she still served on various community boards and councils, and continued leading worship and regular tours with the choir until 2024.

For 60+ years of voluntary service to the Lutheran Church of Australia, she was awarded the Australian Lutheran College Servant of Christ Award in 2008.

Pastor Robert Borgas, Angaston, South Australia