Deutscher and Hackett

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity from Papunya Tula Artists which states: 'This painting depicts designs associated with the site of Tjukurla in Western Australia, near where the community now stands. In ancestral times a group of women, represented by the 'U' shapes in the centre of this painting, gathered at Tjukurla to perform the dances and sing the songs associated with the area. While at Tjukurla the women also spun hair with which to make nyimparra (hair-string skirts), which are worn during ceremonies. The large 'U' shapes represent the nyimparra the women made. The grid-like shape in this work depicts the rock hole at this site. The women later travelled north towards the Kintore region. As they travelled they gathered large quantities of the edible fruit known as pura (also known in Pintupi as pintalypa), or bush tomato, from the small shrub Solanum chippendalei. This fruit is the size of a small apricot, and after the seeds have been removed, can be stored for long periods by halving the fruit and skewering them onto a stick. The women also collected mangata (quandong) from the small tree Santalum acuminatum, a traditional staple food much sought after throughout this region. The small filled circles depict the various bush foods.'