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Honey ant dreaming

1830x1960 mm

Sale price$27,000.00


INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING $300

All art is made in Australia

Description

Tjala Honey Ants Dreaming – Pitjantjatjara Desert Aboriginal Art

This painting depicts Tjala (Honey Ants) which is an important food source of the Pitjantjatjara people and are widespread through the sandy desert areas of the Northern Territory and into South Australia. Honey ants are found approx. 1 metre underground beneath Mulga trees. 

The honey ant tunnels that lead down to the nests are called nyinantu and the honey ant larvae is called ipilyka-ipilyka. When the Pitjantjatjara go looking for honey ants, they look for the drill holes under the trees and when they see them, they dig down following the tunnels to find the Honey ants inside.

The swollen abdomen which is full of honey is bitten off and swallowed. It was one of the very few sources of sugar available to nomads of central Australia. The story of the Tjala is told across these desert areas and is an important link between Anangu mythology and interdependence on the environment.

Painted: 2021 | Code : PPFA2021-146

Acrylic on Belgian Linen

Size: 1830mm x 1960mm

This Tjala Honey Ants Dreaming painting aligns with high-search terms such as Aboriginal desert art, Pitjantjatjara artwork, Indigenous Australian paintings, and Central Australian Dreaming stories. Collectors frequently search for honey ant artworks, Western Desert art for sale, and cultural storytelling paintings from Anangu artists.

Honey Ant Dreaming, Size: 1830x1960 mm
Honey Ant Dreaming, Size: 1830x1960 mm Sale price$27,000.00