Artist: June Bird Ngale
Size: 120 x 60cm
Title: Women Collecting Ahakeye (Bush Plum)
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Year Painted: 2022
Women Collecting Ahakeye (Bush Plum)
June paints women collecting the Ahakeye. This a very important story for June that belongs to her country, Ilkawerne (El-go-an-na) . The ahakeye, called bush plum in English by June, is also known as the native currant or citrus. This shrub produces small white flowers, deep green citrus-like leaves and the ahakeye, which are black when ripe and very small. This fruit is favoured for its sweet taste and can be reconstituted in water if dry.
Women, represented by 'U' motifs, can carry with them their digging sticks and coolamons (carved wooden bowls) which are typical instruments used for collecting many bush foods.
