Kala Desert Storylines - Chantelle Mulladad 'Sunburnt Country' Tenor Ukulele

The KALA Desert Storylines series celebrates the beauty, spirit, and storytelling tradition of Australia’s First Nations people through authentic Aboriginal art, hand-painted and reimagined on world-renowned Kala ukuleles.

The idea for this collaboration began in 2008, when Chris Martin, CEO of Martin Guitars, expressed admiration for Aboriginal art during a visit to Australia. This led to the creation of the first painted instruments through a partnership with Keringke Arts, an art centre based in the remote Aboriginal community of Santa Teresa, 100 km southeast of Alice Springs. Years later, inspired by this connection, Kala’s CEO, Mike Upton, envisioned a series of Kala ukuleles that would carry this unique artistic heritage into the hands of musicians around the world.

After years of development and a pause through the global pandemic, the dream has finally come to life. In October 2025, the first shipment of Desert Storylines ukuleles arrives — each one beautifully showcasing genuine Aboriginal artwork from Margaret Bloomfield, Evelyn Young, and Chantelle Mulladad, three highly talented artists represented by Keringke Arts.

More than just musical instruments, each ukulele in the Desert Storylines series is a canvas of culture — a harmonious blend of craftsmanship, creativity, and cultural respect.

Kala and Jacaranda Music have proudly entered into formal agreements with Keringke Arts to ensure fair recognition and compensation for the artists. A 6% royalty from every Desert Storylines ukulele sold will be paid directly to the artists via Keringke Arts, with contributions from both Kala USA and Jacaranda Music.