GTU963
91cm x 31cm
The inspiration for this artwork is the Sandhill country that dominates Gwenda’s home at Yuelamu (Mt Allen) to the North West of Alice Springs in the Tanami Region. Known as Tali in most of the Central Australian Aboriginal language groups, these Sandhills are set in parallel rows depending on the direction of the winds that have formed them. The valleys between these dunes can be either very productive and support a wider range of edible plants, medicines and wild life. Other areas can be remarkably barren, depending on the amount of water that has built up here and the quality of the soil.
Knowledge of these vast areas of sandy country is an integral part of day to day living in this rugged environment. Being rather high, it is often impossible to see what kind of country lies beyond each hill. The elders of these areas are custodians of vast amounts of knowledge as to where to find food, water, medicine and shelter – and this knowledge is passed down from generation to generation. This area is known by the traditional owners of this land to be a place of many rock holes and underground water sources.
