Dreamtime Stories
BUSH FRUIT DREAMING
A colourful depiction of the nutritious and tasty berries and seed pods available in the countryside after the rain. The waterhole at the centre of the picture is full and fresh, providing the essential moisture for the colourful background of desert flowers and plants which bear the bush fruit.
Shop Bush Fruit DreamingHEART OF MY PEOPLE
This design depicts the land and sea representing two indigenous cultures. The land representing the Aboriginal people and the sea, the Torres Straight Islanders. The connection between these two cultures and their natural environment is essential for their survival. Thus the central heart of the design illustrates both cultures living in harmony with nature.
Shop Heart Of My People
BUSH TUCKER TAN
We could jokingly refer to this as an Aboriginal Cook Book. We can see three people sitting at their campfire. The digging sticks and coolamons next to the seated figures confirm that they are female. They are discussing the food sources available in the area. The honey ants, small lizards, snakes and witchetty grubs are shown along with bush fruit. The womens’ footprints wander through the food probably indicating that the food may be collected.
Shop Bush Tucker TanMANS CEREMONY RED
This design is a derivative of a more complex painting titled “Snake Dreaming”. The story is a ceremonial one so the details are not fully revealed. It is thought to be part of the “coming of age” rites for young men. The full painting is rectangular and is available as a Bulurru Art Panel titled “Man’s Ceremony”.
Shop Mans Ceremony Red
ON WALKABOUT WINE
This very traditional Western Desert work clearly depicts the journey of a young man who leaves his family at the top right corner of the painting and undertakes a long walk in search of a partner. Despite visiting many other tribes and family groups he has still not been successful and makes his own camp, or settles at a new site in the top left hand corner. The white snake at each group would indicate fertility and a closeness to or favourable relationship with the earth. Since the place where our young man has settled also has the snake, we believe the young man’s search will have a happy ending.
Shop On Walkabout WineWOMENS CORROBOREE
As the name implies, the Central Desert Work depicts a gathering and celebration of Women. There are two groups of female elders, probably with feasting in progress. We can identify them as women by the digging stick coolamon. In this case the coolamons are full of food, from which we can safely assume some form of celebration is in progress. The other females scattered through the main body of the work do not yet have coolamons to collect and carry food and not all have digging sticks close to them or only have curved sticks. Perhaps at the end of the ceremony, these young girls will be regarded as women. This painting is part of Aboriginal Law and further discussion of query is not appropriate.
Shop Womens Corroboree
ON WALKABOUT OCHRE
This very traditional Western Desert work clearly depicts the journey of a young man who leaves his family at the top right corner of the painting and undertakes a long walk in search of a partner. Despite visiting many other tribes and family groups he has still not been successful and makes his own camp, or settles at a new site in the top left hand corner. The white snake at each group would indicate fertility and a closeness to or favourable relationship with the earth. Since the place where our young man has settled also has the snake, we believe the young man’s search will have a happy ending.
Shop On Walkabout OchreBUSH TUCKER BLUE
We could jokingly refer to this as an Aboriginal Cook Book. We can see three people sitting at their campfire. The digging sticks and coolamons next to the seated figures confirm that they are female. They are discussing the food sources available in the area. The honey ants, small lizards, snakes and witchetty grubs are shown along with bush fruit. The womens’ footprints wander through the food probably indicating that the food may be collected.
Shop Bush Tucker Blue
ON WALKABOUT BLUE
This very traditional Western Desert work clearly depicts the journey of a young man who leaves his family at the top right corner of the painting and undertakes a long walk in search of a partner. Despite visiting many other tribes and family groups he has still not been successful and makes his own camp, or settles at a new site in the top left hand corner. The white snake at each group would indicate fertility and a closeness to or favourable relationship with the earth. Since the place where our young man has settled also has the snake, we believe the young man’s search will have a happy ending.
Shop On Walkabout BlueFROM THE BUSH
The story is centred on a waterhole in the spring or early summer. The waterhole is full and all of the life forms in the desert are plentiful. The background features bright colours with the addition of flowers and bush fruit. In other words, a time of plenty. A major feature is the large snake who has laid claim to the waterhole, making it her home and laying her eggs close by. Two visitors to the waterhole, the emu whose prints are in the bottom right of the picture and the human who also came to drink did not leave. Perhaps they were victims of the snake. The wombat who approaches from the top right of the picture sees what is happening and turns away to seek water elsewhere.
Shop From The Bush
