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Wanpanpi – Bush Coconut

“Wanpanpi, the bush coconut. You can’t just eat it because it has a hard shell. When you get it from the tree you have to hit it with a rock to open it up to see what kind is inside, then you can eat it. When you go hunting you can collect these, it’s in a tree like a gum tree. They use  that tree for Sorry Business. They are in the top of that tree with the gum nuts, its got seeds that you can make into a necklace. When people pass away they use those leaves and branches to walk into the place where the person used to be and give respect, feeling empathy. The tree is important. It’s special because people can use it.” – Joyce Dixon

Categories: Ikuntji Artists

Name: Joyce Dixon


Community: Haasts Bluff


Biography:

Joyce Dixon was born in 1977 at Papunya, and has been painting since she was around 10 years old. She paints her country, Karrinyarra (Mount Wedge), which is around two hours’ drive north of Haasts Bluff. This is the country of the Napaltjarri women and Japaltjarri men. She was raised partly by Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri and Paddy Tjungarrayi Carroll, two senior lawmen and renowned artists of the Papunya Tula art movement of the 1970s, and much of Joyce’s childhood was spent steeped in the artistic traditions of this area. Joyce paints a number of stories, including the Snake and Water Dreaming (Ngapa Tjukurrpa), the Witchetty Grub and Snake Dreaming, Bush Onion and Bush flowers. She has inherited these stories from senior relatives on both her mother’s and father’s sides.

She is married to Henry Multa, the brother of Douglas Multa (traditional owner of Haasts Bluff). Joyce lives between her husband's community Ikuntji, her community (Papunya) and Alice Springs. 


© the artist / art centre