Atham-areny Story by Angelina Ngale

Angelina paints the story of the Atham-areny. The site for this story belongs to the hilly country near Willowra on Angelina’s traditional country north east of Alice Springs.

Atham-areny comes from the Anmatyerre words atham (meaning no fire) and areny (meaning belonging to).

“Akely-amperl arrkay-renem atham-areny-rnem. Ahernel anewaneyel akely-akely”
The atham-areny are very little spirits of the country. They are colourless and live in the ground [or places] where the fire does not belong.

Angelina tells the story that these creatures can be known to come out of their homes and steal and hide the babies in the community. It is important that they stay by the fire. If the atham-areny does touch you, you will feel sick. If this happens a witch doctor must come to sing and dance the sickness out.

In this painting, Angelina has illustrated some of the Aboriginal women and doctors covered in awelye (body paint designs), prepared to sing and dance to help remove any sickness related to the atham-areny. Linear patterns in the background represent body paint designs.

Artist

Name: Angelina Ngale
Skin name: Ngale
Language group: Anmatyerre
Country: Ahalpere
Area: Utopia Region, Central Australia
Born: 1947
Read Angelina Ngale's full bio »

• This painting comes unstretched and rolled in a tube. We are happy to help you find a framer in your area and help coordinate it to make it as easy as possible for you. Please contact us.
• Size of painting: Approx 180cm x 90cm
• Border: Approx 6cm strip of black canvas border; enough required for wrapping around a 2cm or 3cm stretcher frame which is the popular choice for framing Aboriginal art.
• Material: Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
• This painting comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

This painting is shipped unstretched and rolled in a tube, with free delivery worldwide.

We want everyone to be able to enjoy Australian Aboriginal art and so we absorb the cost of shipping both domestically and internationally 🖤

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Catalogue: UL018235