• Seed Dreaming
  • Seed Dreaming
  • Seed Dreaming
  • Seed Dreaming
  • Seed Dreaming

Beth Nungarrayi Patrick Barnes

Seed Dreaming

  

  • Acrylic on Canvas
  • Dimensions: 40cm x 30cm
  • Cat No. 130-18


Beth is an older lady from the Warnayaka sub tribe of Warlpiri. Their lands are in the north eastern part of the Tanami Desert. Nungarrayi has lived in Lajamanu and raised her children and grandchildren here. When she was a little younger she would spend many hours at the art centre painting until the cares and responsibilities of grandchildren over took her life. This dreaming tells about the special seeds we use for grinding and making powder. The women add water to make a special damper. They put the damper in the coals for cooking. There are many different seeds we collect. Kirda or owner of this Jukurrpa (Dreaming) is the skin groups Napurrurla, Nakamarra, Jupurrurla and Jakamarra. Kurdungurlu or checking group of people are Nungarrayi, Napangardi, Jungarrayi and Japangardi. This painting depicts the ngurlu (seeds), marna (grass), Karnta (women), their parraja (oval wooden dishes) kajipa (dancing sticks).


Lajamanu has a population of around 900 Warlpiri people. The older generation see Warnayaka as an avenue to achieve a number of needs that are present in their community. At the centre these elders still create their dot paintings. The most important thing expressed by members, is the need to preserve and pass on the cultural significance of Warlpiri, the culture of the people of Lajamanu, which encompasses not only art, but includes language, social structure, law and country. In doing so it is understood that excellence in art, prosperity from art sales, employment opportunities and preservation of pride in being Warlpiri will result. The art centre is a Warlpiri corporation and is staffed mainly by the children of the older generation of Indigenous Lajamanu residents who remember their first contact with white Australia. They maintain the computerised data base and run the art centre production. Older and younger community members produce Aboriginal dot paintings and make wooden artefacts. The centre is a place for a cup of tea and a song and dance, and then a trip into the Spinifex desert to look for goanna and lizards or to collect bush coconut, bush banana, yams and bush honey from native bees.


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