Tracing the seven sisters across time and space

In the vast deserts of Western and Central Australia, the land itself tells stories. For thousands of years, First Nations people – the original custodians of the continent – ​​have passed on knowledge, culture and tradition through song, dance and art.

By March 15, 2026, Delhi will become a part of that storytelling tradition. The Humayun’s Tomb World Heritage Site is hosting Museum Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters, a multi-sensory exhibition jointly organized by the National Museum of Australia (NMA) and the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA). This is the first major NMA exhibition to tour India, a journey that passes through desert landscapes, ancestral lands and starry skies.

Through approximately 300 works, including paintings, sculptures, soundscapes, photography and multimedia installations, visitors are invited to follow the journey of the Seven Sisters. These ancestral women are pursued by a shape-shifting wizard whose flights have carved mountains, reservoirs and constellations across the Australian landscape.

“Song lines are important expressions of culture, reflecting rules of life, law, spirituality and connection,” explains Zilda Andrews, NMA’s Deputy Director of First Nations. “To convey this concept, Indigenous artists and knowledge holders bring together dramatic and visual art forms, song and dance, making the message dynamic and compelling. Visitors gain insight into a world quite different from their own.”

“It reflects the cultural fabric of stories, songs, dances and ancestral knowledge that is woven into the landscape and guided by customary laws, just like our own folk and oral traditions,” says Rubina Karode, director and chief curator of KNMA.

crossing desert land

Songlines traces the journey of seven sisters across three indigenous lands: the APY (Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) people in the central desert, the Nganyatjara people in the west, and the Martu people in Australia’s northwest. Delhi is the fifth international stop of the exhibition after visits to the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Finland.

“The story of the Seven Sisters is essentially an expression of Tjukurpa,” explains Jilda. “It highlights an interconnected web of relationships that spans this wide area and shows how people are embedded in these landscapes.”

The narrative is multi-layered; As individuals gain seniority and experience, new dimensions of complexity and meaning emerge. “In many ways, the exhibition is much more than a show for the audience – it is a formal exchange with everyone who enters the space. The preparation, cultural obligation and care involved is enormous,” says Jilda.

a multisensory experience

Unlike traditional art exhibitions, SonglinesIt’s as much about geography as it is about imagination. The show features the world’s highest-resolution traveling DomeLab, immersing visitors in images of the Seven Sisters rock art from the remote Cave Hill site in South Australia. Animated artworks trace the Orion constellation and the Pleiades star cluster, creating a sense of movement across the sky and land.

Cultural ambassadors from remote desert communities have traveled to Delhi to present Inma, the ceremonial dance that brings the story to life. The combination of painting, sculpture, multimedia, sound and movement allows visitors unfamiliar with tribal cosmology to experience the emotional and spiritual resonance of the story.

“Even if visitors are not familiar with First Nations cosmology, they can connect with ancestral knowledge, sacred landscapes and storytelling traditions,” says Rubina.

“We hope international audiences will see the dynamism of First Nations Australia,” says Jilda. “Museums have the power to inspire awe and inspiration in young people today.”

For KNMA, presenting Songlines is also an opportunity to promote inter-cultural dialogue. “Both India and Australia have inherited ancient civilizations based on spiritual connections with their land,” says Rubina. “This exhibition becomes a bridge, inviting reflection on heritage, continuity and the power of living history.”

This exhibition can be seen at Humayun World Heritage Site Museum, Nizamuddin, Sunder Nursery, New Delhi from 10 am to 9 pm (last entry at 8 pm). The museum is closed on Mondays and national holidays. Ticket price is ₹50