‘Waterholes and Soaks, Bush Medicines, Mountains and Sand Hills’

The Artists of Ampilatwatja community (pronounced um-bludder-witch) was established in 1999, 325 km northeast of Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in the Northern Territory. Ampilatwatja lies on Aherrenge country, the land of the Alyawarre people. The work produced by their artists is unique and recognisably distinct from other Aboriginal artistic communities.

“These paintings pay homage to the significance and use of traditional bush medicine, allowing an insight into our community. We depict the traditional knowledge of dreaming and country through the translation of waterholes and soaks, bush medicines, mountains and sand hills.”

Adhering to religious laws, the artists disclose only a fragment of their knowledge to the uninitiated. The sacred, esoteric information is hidden from public view, masked by the delicate, layered dots of the paintings. This nuanced approach allows artists to present their work to a culturally untutored audience without compromising its spiritual essence. They speak of two broad levels of interpretation: the “inside” stories, restricted to those with appropriate ritual standing, and the “outside” stories, accessible to all.