Pukara scarf by Monica Watson

Regular price $160.00

This is a story about kaliny-kalinypa (honey grevillea plant), which Anangu (the term for people in Pitjantjatjara) use as a type of bush lolly, sucking the nectar out of the plant. In the Tjukurpa (Dreaming story) a father and son, Wati Kutjara Wanampi (two male water snakes), are living at Pukara, an important waterhole site near Irrunytju (Wingellina). Because of the kalinykalinypa which is found at the site the water there has a sweet taste and lots of people go there to access it. But father Wati Wanampi doesn’t like this and he tells them to go back to their own country.The people leave and the father and son travel to Willuna, where they camp for weeks.

When they return to Pukara, they are awoken by a buzzing sound. Minyma Punpunpa (the female flies) are making lots of noise as they buzz around the honey bush. This prompts the father and son to get up to go and collect honey. While they are doing this, a Wati Mututa (black ant) finds the father and son, and spears the son in his side. The young son starts spitting and he spits up the yellow and orange seeds of all the different types of honey grevillea. These plants can still be found at this site today. There is a big variety of honey grevillea plants including kaliny-kalinypa, ultunkunpa, piruwa and witjinti.

110cm x 110cm 14mm 100% silk satin with hand rolled edges. All of our scares come in a beautiful gift box and include an Artist's card, detailing the artist's work and practice.

 

Work

Pukara is an important rockhole in Western Australia, south west of Irrunytju (Wingellina). It is where the artist was born. The site is surrounded by kaliny-kalinypa (the honey grevillea plant), a type of bush lolly that sweetens the local water.

In the site's Tjukurpa (dreaming story), two resident Wati Kutjara Wanampi (water snakes), a father and son, tire of visitors and ask them to leave. After travelling themselves, they return and begin collecting honey, when a Wati Mutuja (black ant) finds them and spears the son in the side. The son starts vomiting up yellow and orange seeds of all different types of honey grevillea, still found at the site today.

Monica Puntjina Watson

c.1940 Pukara Rock hole (close to Irrunytju), Western Australia

A Pipalytjara elder, Monica Putjina Watson was born in or around 1940 at the rockhole Pukara in Western Australia, an important site for the water snake Tjukurpa (dreaming story). She left her birthplace with her family as a young girl and worked for a time in the crafts room at Ernabella Arts in Pukatja, South Australia. It was not until the homelands movement of the late 1970s, that the artist moved to Pipalyatjara with her husband and children.

Monica now paints with Ninuku Arts and is known for her use of bright colours and dynamic compositions. Her art is included in several national collections.


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