Shakira Pitjara Patrick / Bush Potato Dreaming (1B)

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

Shakira Pitjara Patrick is an Alyawarra woman from Alice Springs. She was born in Alice Springs on 9 January 1998, and lives there today. Shakira has also lived on the Irrultja outstation northeast of Alice Springs. She speaks Alyawarra and English, and can also understand Warlpiri. Shakira has one daughter, Lashani, who was born on 20 May 2014.

This dreaming comes from an area to the east of Yuendumu called Cockatoo Creek. ‘Yarla’ (bush potato) are fibrous tubers that grow beneath a low spreading plant, found by looking for cracks in the ground. This edible tuber grows from roots which seek out moisture to sprout new plants. Yarla are good to eat, when cooked they are really soft and tasty. This dreaming tells of ‘yarla’ and ‘wapirti’ (bush carrot) ancestors fighting a big battle in this area. The specific site associated with this painting is a ‘mulju’ (water soakage) called Ngarparapunyu.