Bush Tucker Dreamingby Hilda Bird Petyarre

Hilda Bird Petyarre was born in approximately 1950 and comes from the Utopia region in Central Australia. Her family reside at Mulga Bore near Utopia. Hilda is the daughter of well known Utopian artist Ada Bird Petyarre, who sadly passed away in 2010. Central Art has a strong relationship with the women of Utopia and Ada Bird Petyarre played an important role in supporting me (Sabine Haider, Director of Central Art) in founding Central Art – Aboriginal Art Store. Hilda is also the niece of famous aboriginal artists Kathleen and Gloria Petyarre and her family and community have produced some of the most well known and talented Aboriginal artists.

Hilda Bird paints her Awelye Dreaming, which depicts the sacred women’s business that is carried out during ceremonies. Her body of work often depicts body paint designs which the women will paint onto their upper bodies, breasts and arms for ceremonies. Hilda also paints bush tucker. In these paintings she depicts the various edible plants (or bush tucker) that the Utopian women will gather. Bush Tucker has been a staple food source for Aboriginal people living in Central Australia. It is during ceremonies that the women will pay homage to ancestors to ensure perpetual germination of important plants in the area.

In 1990 a joint artwork between Hilda and Ray Nelson Panunga was acquired by the Art Gallery of New South Wales for his permanent collection. Hilda at one stage was producing many artworks alongside her mother; however, today she enjoys painting more for cultural reasons.

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