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Catalogue Number: 25/348
This painting shows Aboriginal women gathering bush berries in the Central Australian desert. After a big rain, the country comes alive. The plants turn green, and tiny flowers begin to bloom. These flowers later grow into the bush berries that local families have collected for generations.
The curved shapes in the artwork represent the women sitting on the ground as they work together. Beside them are wooden bowls filled with fruit. These bowls are called coolamons. In the old days, Aboriginal women used coolamons for carrying food.
When the flowers dry, their seeds are carried across the land by the wind. These seeds settle into the soil and grow into new bush berry plants. This cycle of rain, growth, and renewal is an important part of desert life.
Aboriginal women know exactly where these plants grow and the right time to harvest them. This knowledge is passed down from mothers, aunties, and grandmothers to daughters and nieces. The painting celebrates this deep connection to the land and the skills that have been shared through many generations.