Awelye

Artist : Minnie Pwerle  c.1910 - d. 2006 

Medium : Acrylic on canvas

Dimensions : 122 x 90.5cm

The source and inspiration for her art came from her involvement in traditional Aboriginal ceremonial practice and rituals where she was responsible for applying the all important body paint designs to participants in women's ceremonies.

Dreamings tell the story of this lovely sweet food that comes from a very small bush found only in Atnwengerrp. Once very abundant and fruiting in the summer season, the bush melon is now very hard to find.  Minnie and the other women used to collect this fruit (that was green in colour and then ripened to a brown colour) and scraped out the small black seeds.  They would then eat the fruit straight away or cut it into pieces and skewer them onto a piece of wood and dry them to be eaten in the coming months when bush tucker was scarce.