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Bush onion

They light a fire in the bush and gather their wire and billycan. Bush onion is found deep in the sand — hidden beneath the surface. They rub them gently between their fingers to loosen the skin, peeling it back like onion layers. They fill the billycan and return them to the earth, letting them cook in the hot sand.

They are little ones — about an inch long — yet they carry old knowledge. This is how the old people taught them, from long time, from Dreamtime. Sometimes they cook them with rice; sometimes they share them at tea time.



Dimensions: 410 x 560 mm

Categories: Tangentyere Artists

Name: Isobelle Spencer Napaljarri


Language: Warlpiri



Biography:

Born in Yuendumu in 1953, Isobelle was born profoundly mute, and her sisters Winkie (born 1960), and April (born 1966) act as her translators. She lives Alice Springs, along with her sisters, and enjoys painting having learned from her brother, famous painter and NT police officer, Andrew Spencer Japaljarri, who passed away in 2015. The sisters' father, Walpajirri Jungarrayi, also called Jimmy Spencer, was a senior Law Man for Yarripilangu Karrinyarra, and an early Yuendumu artist.

Apart from the Wardapi [Goanna] Tjukurrpa that travels a long way south from Yarri pirlangku, her father’s country, she also paints Pamapardu [Flying Ant] Tjukurrpa, which is about Flying Ants emerging after rain, from her mother’s country near Nyirripi, as well as Emu Jukurrpa, and various other Bush Tucker Jukurrpa.

Isobelle paints in the classic Warlpiri style, and before joining Tangentyere Artists, sold most of her works through Jukurrpa artists’ co-operative.


© the artist / art centre