Anwekety (Conkerberry) by Kate Petyarre (SOLD)

Dot work in this painting represents anwekety (conkerberries), it's Dreaming story belonging to Kate's mother's country, Ahalpere.

The conkerberry (also often called bush plum), is a sweet black berry that is favoured by desert aboriginals. They only grow on the plant (Carissa lanceolata) for a few weeks of the year, however the Ahalpere people would collect plenty of them and store them dry, soaking them in water again before being consumed.

The plant of the conkerberry is a tangled, spiny shrub that can grow up to 2m high. After rain fragrant white flowers bloom. This plant also bares medicinal properties. The orange inner bark from the roots can be soaked in water and the resultant solutions can be used as a medicinal wash. This is particularly favoured for skin and eye conditions. The thorns on the shrub can be used to cure warts.

Artist

Name: Kate Petyarre
Skin name: Petyarre (also spelled Pitjara)
Language group: Anmatyerre
Mother's Country: Ahalpere
Lives: Utopia, Central Australia

RELATED CONTENT:

'Conkerberry in Aboriginal Art'

• Medium: Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
• Size of painting: 30cm x 30cm
• Size of canvas border: Approx 6cm
• Background colour: Black
• This painting comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and artist profile.