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Catalogue Number: 26/214
This painting shows the traditional symbols used in women’s Aboriginal art. These symbols help tell stories about life on Country and the important knowledge that has been passed down through many generations.
In the painting you can see symbols for hunting scenes, such as digging sticks and small animals and insects. Digging sticks are strong wooden tools used by women for searching the ground, gathering food and finding bush medicine plants. The small animal and insect symbols show the different kinds of bush tucker that families look for when they go out on Country.
There are also symbols for bush tucker plants, including bush tomatoes, berries and the flowers and leaves from native plants. Some of these plants are used for food and others are used for bush medicine.
The curved U shapes represent women sitting on the ground. Also there are coolamons, an oval shaped wooden bowl used in the old days for carrying food, water and sometimes small children.
All of these symbols are part of women’s cultural knowledge. They are learned from mothers, aunties and grandmothers and passed down to the next generation. This painting celebrates those traditional ways and the strong connection between women, their Country and their stories.