Bush Yam Seedsby Barbara Long Kngwarreye

This artwork depicts leaves of the seeds of the yam plant, which were once an important food source for the Anmatyerre people of Utopia in central Australia. There are many Dreaming rituals attached to this plant and homage is paid by the women in their Awelye ceremonies.

The Aboriginal women would gather the seeds, then crush and grind them into a thick paste to make bread. In years past, grass seeds were collected in a most unusual way. Because seeds ripened at different stages, many would fall to the ground and be covered by sand, lost from view. Ingeniously the Aboriginal women would look for the nesting site of a particular ant species that they knew collected the seeds, eating a certain portion before discarding the rest in a pile outside the nest. Once the nest was found the women were able to collect the cast off seeds more easily.

Artist:Barbara Long Kngwarreye
Title:Bush Yam Seeds
ID:0410201
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas
Size:147 x 90 cm
Region:Utopia, Central Australia

Artist

Barbara Long Kngwarreye was one of the first artists that visited Central Art in its earlier days, having heard about us through her family members. Barbara was born in 1958 and comes from Atnangkere country in the Utopia region. Central Art has a keen interest in all Utopian artists due to Ada Bird Petyarre (please refer to Ada’s biography for further information).

Barbara is a hobbyist artist and paints for cultural purposes and to share her Dreaming stories. Barbara paints stories associated with her country which include Bush Medicine and the Bush Yam. Barbara also shares her Awelye Dreaming which depicts the women’s ceremonial body paint designs.

Barbara has participated in a few group exhibitions within Australia. If you were considering purchasing an artwork by Barbara I would encourage you to purchase it because it is aesthetically pleasing to you. Her pieces would not be considered investment pieces rather its value is in the beauty of the work and what joy you receive from observing it.

Unfortunately because Barbara is not a frequent painter Central Art does not have a current photograph of her.

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