Lyn Nungarrayi Sims / Bush Tomato Dreaming

Artwork is accompanied by Warlukurlangu Artists (Yuendumu) Art Centre Certificate of Authenticity / Provenance

The Bush Tomato (Wanakiji) Dreaming travels through Yaturlu (near Mount Theo, north of Yuendumu). The Bush Tomato grows in open spinifex country and is a small, prickly plant with purple flowers that bears green fleshy fruit with many small black seeds.

After collecting the fruit, the seeds are removed with a small wooden spoon called ‘kajalarra’. The fruit can be eaten raw or threaded onto skewers called ‘turlturrpa’ and then cooked over a fire or left to dry. When they are prepared in this way it is called ‘turlturrpa’ and the fruit can be kept for a long time. In contemporary Warlpiri paintings traditional iconography is used to represent the Dreaming, particular sites and other elements.