Stephen Petyarre / Mulga Seed Dreaming (IW8689)

Stephen Petyarre was born 1974 in the Utopia region Northern Territory, and is the son of the late Gloria Ngale, a highly respected Elder and artist. Stephen is also the nephew of the late Emily Kame Kngwarreye, one of Australia’s best known artists. His Region is Alhalkere and his Language Group is Anmatyerre.

Stephen’s sister is Anna Price Petyarre; it was Anna that inspired Stephen to take up painting as a young man. Stephen is married to artist Bernadine Johnston Kemarre; they divide their time between Utopia and Adelaide where their children attend school.

Stephen is a traditional man, participating in Men’s Business and further learning the dreaming stories of his family and his culture.

Stephen paints the story of the Mulga Tree which he calls Ntang Artety. Ntang means seed in Stephen’s language, and Artety is the word for Mulga Tree. This is a very important story for Stephen that belongs to his country. The Mulga seeds are an important plant food throughout Central Australia, usually available to collect for several months of the year. The seeds are ground into a paste before being consumed and taste similar to peanut butter and are highly nutritious. In this painting the concentric circles represent the Dreaming place for Men’s Ceremony. Straight lines are the travel lines to and from the meeting places of the men associated with this Dreaming story.