Image 1 of 1
Catalogue Number: 25/131
This painting shows Aboriginal women and families digging for honey ants in Central Australia. Honey ants live deep underground, so the women walk out into the bush and look for small signs on the surface. They know how to find the nests, which can be hidden under sand or near the roots of desert plants.
The curved shapes in the painting represent the women sitting on the ground as they work together. Beside each woman is her digging stick, a strong wooden tool used to break the soil and reach the ants. They also have a coolamon, a small oval wooden bowl that was used in the old days to carry food. In this story, the coolamon is used to collect the honey ants once they are found.
Honey ants can be black, brown, or orange. They store sweet liquid in their bodies, and when you bite into them, the taste is like natural sugar from the desert. For many families, finding honey ants is a special treat, especially when walking long distances in the hot country.
This painting celebrates the women’s knowledge of the land, their skill in finding bush foods, and the way these traditions are passed down through generations.