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Catalogue Number: 25/20
This painting shows the bush tomato plant, a small desert plant that grows wild across Central Australia. After good rain, the country wakes up. The bush tomato sends out small purple flowers, and soon the green fruit begins to grow. As the sun warms the land, the fruit slowly changes colour. When it turns yellow or light brown, it is ripe and ready to eat. Local Aboriginal families who live in this remote area know exactly when the fruit is ready. When the time is right, they go out onto their country to collect the bush tomatoes. The fresh yellow fruit has a sharp, tangy taste, while the brown dried fruit has a softer, earthy flavour. The knowledge of how to find these plants and when to pick them is taught by mothers, aunties, and grandmothers, and passed down from one generation to the next. This knowledge helps families stay connected to their country, their culture, and the stories that have been shared for thousands of years.