Sheila Major Nampintjinpa 84-25

This painting tells the story of the Bush Potato Dreaming (Yam or Sweet Potato Dreaming). The Bush Potato ancestors came from Yutalu and travelled widely before resting at Yamapunta and then continuing their journey to the north-west. Abundant supplies of bush potatoes bear witness to the Dreamings continuing presence. In this painting Sheila has depicted two women ('U 'shapes) digging for Yalka. The Yalka is eaten raw or roasted in the coals of a fire. It tastes similar to the cultivated sweet potato. The green vine with brown bulbs indicates the Yala. The circles, from which the vine originates, are the holes dug to find the underground potato bulb. The circle in front of the women is the site where they go to find the potato. At the women's side is their digging stick and coolamon (wooden dish for carrying items). The women perform a traditional ceremony in honour of the Yalka where they dance and paint their breast, chest and forearms in ceremonial body designs. They also decorate their bodies with feathers and dance with ceremonial objects such as nulla nullas (a fighting stick also used for ceremonial dancing). The design represents the bush potato vine.