Lunki (witchetty grub) Lunki (witchetty grubs) are the large, pinkish white, wood eating larvae of several moth species. During the pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) era, lunki were a reliable food source, forming a staple of the Martu diet, and today they remain equally popular. Lunki are eaten either raw or Read more…
Parnajarrpa (sand goanna) Parnajarrpa (sand goanna) are one of the most prized and reliable food sources hunted by Martu, found throughout Australia in sand plain and dune habitats. They are hunted by both men and women, though more often women working either alone or in pairs. Parnajarrpa hibernate in the Read more…
Windy Corner ‘My Dad’s Country’ “When Martu paint, it’s like a map. Martu draw story on the ground and on the canvas, and all the circle and line there are the hunting areas and different waters and tracks where people used to walk, and [some you] can’t cross, like boundaries. Read more…
Karlkula (bush banana) Karlkula (bush banana, silky pear or native pear) is found throughout the dry regions of Western Australia and Central Australia. Following rains, the vine produces fruit from November to April. When young, the green fruit is eaten raw. Older fruits are cooked and the seeds eaten. During Read more…
Untitled How did you get to this style of painting? “Do you mean, what have I done with my life? (chuckles to herself) To me these paintings are a sense of energy. So if I see someone and they’re happy, I paint a happy vibe. Cos their spirit is happy. Read more…
Untitled This work portrays an area known to the artist, painted here from memory. During the pujiman (traditional, desert dwelling) era one’s survival depended on their intimate knowledge of the location of resources; thus physical elements of Country, such as sources of kapi (water), tali (sandhills), and different varieties of Read more…
Untitled This is Jatarr’s Country- her ‘ngurra’ (home Country, camp). People identify with their ngurra in terms of specific rights and responsibilities, and the possession of intimate knowledge of the physical and cultural properties of one’s Country. Painting ngurra, and in so doing sharing the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) stories and physical Read more…
Untitled This is Jatarr’s Country- her ‘ngurra’ (home Country, camp). People identify with their ngurra in terms of specific rights and responsibilities, and the possession of intimate knowledge of the physical and cultural properties of one’s Country. Painting ngurra, and in so doing sharing the Jukurrpa (Dreaming) stories and physical Read more…
Mirtikanya (Mujupunkanu, Watchpoint Hill) “This one here is Watchpoint Hill near to Jigalong, with all the sandhills and the walyji (river gums). We got warla (lakes) there too. Jigalong is where I grew up.” – Helen Dale Simpson Mirtikanya is a hill and claypan close to Balfour Downs Station and north Read more…
Mungili Waterholes and Rock Holes “I was swimming there. Yeah, we go visit them a long time [ago]. We drink it, rain water from the rain. Big waterhole. It’s a fresh water, when the rain comes, fills it up. One for swimming and another rock hole for drinking.” – Marlene Read more…