Dianne Dixon - Women showing the younger ones how to make bush medicine

Catalogue Number: 26/48

This painting tells the story of Aboriginal women teaching the younger generation how to find, collect, and prepare bush medicine. The footprints in the artwork show the women walking through the bush, moving across Country to look for the right plants.

The dark curved shapes represent the older women. The lighter shapes are the younger women who are learning. They are all sitting together on the ground around a rock, getting ready to crush the leaves. The oval shapes are coolamons. These wooden bowls were used in the old days to collect bush foods, carry water, and hold important items.

The leaves for the medicine are picked when they are green and healthy. After they are harvested, the women dry the leaves until they turn brown. When the leaves are dry, they are ready to be crushed and made into bush medicine.

The older women pass down this knowledge. They show the younger ones how to read the land, how to recognise the right plants, and how to prepare the medicine properly. This keeps the tradition strong and ensures the knowledge continues for many generations.