I still hunt my Grand Mothers country for goanna, bush medicine and yams.
I hunt all year round, hunting and walking through the country makes me happy. When I look at the distant hills I can feel my grandmother. Bush flowers are everywhere.
Painting and printing my grandmother’s country reminds about those times.
Yvonne has painted her favourite hunting country after rain. “This is when the storm ants come and make the goannas nice and fat, the ground is soft for digging honey ants and it’s when the bush foods and grasses come up and grow strong. The country is normally bare with small stones and rocks everywhere, but after rain, everything comes alive.”
Yvonne is a tremendous hunter, she is skilled in reading tracks and reading the land. Painting hunting country is important and special to her.
The community of Ampilatwatja made a conscious decision not to paint ‘altyerr’(dreaming stories). The artists paint their country where those stories sit.
Art Centre notes:
The basket is made of natural raffia and sea chord. It is made using a traditional ‘one twist’ method.
The dyes are commercial and colour fast.
Art Centre notes: The bag is made of natural raffia, sea cord and shells. It is made using a traditional ‘one twist’ method. The dyes are commercial and colour fast. The shells are used for decoration.
Art Centre notes: The bag is made of natural raffia, sea cord and shells. It is made using a traditional ‘one twist’ method. The dyes are commercial and colour fast. The shells are used for decoration.
Art Centre notes: The bag is made of natural raffia, sea cord and shells. It is made using a traditional ‘one twist’ method. The dyes are commercial and colour fast. The shells are used for decoration.
Art Centre notes: The bag is made of natural raffia, sea cord and shells. It is made using a traditional ‘one twist’ method. The dyes are commercial and colour fast. The shells are used for decoration.
Art Centre notes: The bag is made of natural raffia, sea cord and shells. It is made using a traditional ‘one twist’ method. The dyes are commercial and colour fast. The shells are used for decoration.
Kuntjanu is a women’s site, a powerful place from the Pitjantjatjara Lands in South Australia.
Long ago, the women came to Kuntjanu. The land was good — rich with bush foods, and the Rockhole there was full, a sweet place to rest for a while. They gathered, they stayed, they shared that time together.
But they were uneasy.
A water snake lived in that Rockhole. They could feel it, watching. Its presence made them nervous.
They worried it might do something — harm them, chase them.
So even in the midst of plenty, they held close to each other, alert, always listening to the land.
The Anangu people travelled vast desert landscapes, following the seasons for food and shelter, deeply attuned to the rhythms of the land. This resilience and wisdom embedded in traditional bush foods that sustained them across generations.
Maku (Witchety Grubs), with their creamy, nutty flavour, represent survival and the resourcefulness to draw nourishment from deep within tree roots. Kampurarrpa (Desert Raisins), small and tangy, add brightness and essential nutrients to desert diets, thriving under intense sun.
Ipalu (Bush Banana), a climbing vine with crisp, slender fruits, offers fibre and hydration—a refreshing staple in arid climates. Ili (Bush Figs), with their mild sweetness, grow from rugged trees, offering a delicate treat in the harsh terrain.
Through vibrant colours and intricate designs, these bush foods embody the spirit of Ngaanyatjarra culture, each a testament to the land’s gifts and the knowledge passed through generations.