Bush Foods on Urapuntja

Margaret Nungurrayi was born in 1966 into a family of well-known artists including Gloria Petyarre, Kathleen Petyarre, Ada Bird Petyarre, Violet Petyarre, Myrtle Petyarre and Nancy Petyarre. Petyarre began her art practice in the form of ceremonial Awelye (body painting) in her home country Urapuntja, Central Desert.
Margaret depicts the varieties of native bush foods and flowers that grow in the homelands: Alkwe (Bush Plum), Kudjera (Bush Tomato), Bush Raisin, pencil yam and bush banana. The tucker species are shown in various stages of growth and ripeness. The background dot work represents a two-fold meaning; bush tucker species and the body paint markings worn by the women to celebrate the fertility of the land and the abundant provision of the bush tucker during Awelye or women’s ceremonies.