"Carpet Snake" by Bonita Nungurrayi Williams delves into the profound connection between the Carpet Snake and the spirit of water, a belief cherished by the desert people of the Northern Territory. Scientifically, carpet snakes cannot survive long without water and are almost always found near water sources. The snake's ability to disappear into the earth and reappear elsewhere has given it symbolic power in stories and art. In Aboriginal Australia, the snake is revered as a Creation Ancestor, with its journeys shaping the landscape.
During the Tjukurpa (Creation times), the Kuniya, or non-venomous carpet snakes, traveled from Paku-Paku, a waterhole near Mount Conner west of Uluru, to a large flat sandhill with a central waterhole.
Bonita Nungurrayi Williams, born in Alice Springs in 1971, has spent most of her life in her hometown, with some time spent traveling in Western Australia. Bonita has been painting for about eight years, having learned from her mother, an artist from Ti Tree who speaks Anmatyerre. Married with four children, Bonita honors her heritage through her art. Her totems are the goanna and snake, but she often paints various bush foods such as witchetty grubs, honey ants, and berries, highlighting her deep cultural connections.
Bonita's artwork not only showcases the cultural significance of the Carpet Snake but also serves as a tribute to her heritage, vividly bringing the traditions and stories of her people to life. Her vibrant and meaningful paintings honor her ancestry and preserve her cultural roots.
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