Women with their digging sticks ready to go hunting for bush tucker by Joan Sultan, 15x34cm FJ021JoS

Joan Sultan's artwork "Women with their Digging Sticks Ready to Go Hunting for Bush Tucker" vividly illustrates Aboriginal women's traditional practice of foraging for bush tucker. The U-shapes in the painting represent the women, the circles denote waterholes, and the central motif symbolizes the bush tucker they aim to collect. Bush tucker refers to the diverse range of native Australian foods traditionally consumed by Aboriginal people. These foods include animals like kangaroos, emus, wild turkeys, and various reptiles, as well as a variety of plants such as wild oranges, bush tomatoes, and bush plums.

Additionally, the diet features edible seeds like mulga and wattle seeds, along with various grubs and insects, including the witchetty grub found in specific tree species. The Aboriginal diet is further enriched with honey and nectar from sources like honey ants and native bees. Joan Sultan, inspired by her artistic family, particularly her brother, the accomplished painter Reg Sultan, captures these traditional elements in her work, offering a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of the Aboriginal people of Central Australia.

By depicting these elements, Sultan not only showcases the importance of bush tucker in Aboriginal culture but also highlights the intricate relationship between the people and their land.