Bush Tomato Dreamingby Margaret Napanangka Brown

Artwork: Bush Tomato Dreaming
Artist: Margaret Napanangka Brown

The Wanakiji Jukurrpa, or Bush Tomato Dreaming travels through Yaturlu (north of Yuendumu) in Central Australia. The Wanakiji grows in open spinifex country and is a small, prickly plant with purple flowers that bear green fleshy fruit with many small black seeds. After collecting the fruit, the seeds are removed with a small wooden spoon called Kajalarra. The fruit can then be eaten raw or threaded onto skewers called Turlturrpa and then cooked over a fire. Wanakiji can also be skewered and left to dry.

In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particularly sites and other elements. The Wanakiji Jukurrpa belongs to the Napanangka/Napangardi women and the Japanangka/Japangardi men.