Awelye for Ahakeye by Tanya Bird Mpetyane

Awelye is a term used to describe women's ceremony and all that it encompasses such as ceremonial body paint designs. The patterns and designs in this painting are influenced by these.

Ahakeye are little currants that areoften referred to as bush plums. They grow on the canthium attenuatum shrub which grows about 3m high. This shrub produces small white flowers, deep green citrus-like leaves and the currents which are black when ripe and very small. This fruit is favoured for its sweet taste and can be reconstituted in water if dry.

Tanya usessmall black dots to represent the ahakeye which have dried and fallen to the ground. As black is traditionally symbolic of the ahakeye for Tanya's people, Tanya uses grey as a neutral background colour.

Colours: white and black on grey background.

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

Catalogue: SP0499

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