1956
Language Group:Anmatyerre and Eastern Arrernte (Aranda)
Country:Denipa Station, Northern Territory
Medium:Acrylic on Canvas and Linen
Subjects:Awelye (Women's Ceremony), Arlatyeye (Pencil Yam) Dreaming, Snake Dreaming
Eileen is an Eastern Arrernte woman. Her family (nee Webb) grew up at Harts Range where her brothers and sisters continue to live. Eileen is married to Paddy Bird (passed away in 2015), eldest son of well known Utopia artist, Ada Bird Petyarre. Eileen has eleven children and several grandchildren, many of whom paint for Mbantua Gallery also. Eileen has been painting for Mbantua Gallery since the mid 1990's.
Artist: Eileen Bird Kngwarreye
Size: 60 x 45cm
Title: Arlatyeye (Pencil Yam) Dreaming
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Year Painted: 2022
Arlatyeye (Pencil Yam) Dreaming
The designs in Eileen's painting are influenced by the Arlatyeye (Pencil Yam) Story belonging to her country, Arnumarra.
In the Dreamtime there are two parts to this story, one that belongs to Alhalkere and Atnangkere countries, and the other that belongs to Arnumarra country. Two different seeds were born that created two different species of Pencil Yam; one called Atnwelarr which belongs to Alhalkere and Atnangkere countries, and the other called Arlatyeye which belongs to Eileen's country. The Arlatyeye story is a major Dreamtime story for Eileen's country and ceremonies by her people are performed to ensure its productivity as a food source and life form of the ancestors.
