Aboriginal women share their bush medicine knowledge in upcoming art exhibition
For the first time in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital an exhibition of paintings is on show as part of Tarnanthi – an internationally acclaimed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts festival.
Julianne Turner Nungurrayi whose works are included in the Tarnanthi exhibition in the WCH.
The WCH Foundation’s Arts in Health program is excited to be part of Tarnanthi 2019 and to present Karra Wadlu Yaitya Purruna / Bush Shrubs Make You Healthy featuring the work of seven female Aboriginal painters – Audrey Brumby, Bernadine Kemarre Johnson, Josephine Lennon, Nancy Napanardi Martin, Julianne Turner Nungarrayi, Christine Nakamara Brown and Debra McDonald Nangala.
In this vibrant exhibition, the artists share their expertise about native flora and its therapeutic uses through their paintings of bush food and bush medicine stories. Traditional knowledge of the medicinal benefits, application and collection of native plants extends back over 60,000 years.
Artist Julianne Turner Nungurrayi said, “I love bush medicine. Why I love bush foods and medicine is, it is part of our tradition, it heals our spirit and is part of our culture. We still use our own bush medicine. We can find bush medicine even in the city – we use Lyuk Lyuk, found along the Adelaide road sides to boil and soak in the water for antiseptic wash. It is good for scabies, flu, and things like that.”
Karra Wadlu Yaitya Purruna will be exhibited in the Blue Heart Gallery from 18 October 2019 – 27 January 2020. The Blue Heart Gallery is located on the Hospital’s Ground Floor near Allied Health and Hospital School. The exhibition is a collaboration between the Circle of Arts Foundation and WCH Foundation.
Tarnanthi is produced by the Art Gallery of South Australia and this year features the works of 1000 artists with exhibitions shown in the Art Gallery and in close to 30 partner venues, including the WCH.
Debra Nangala, My Country Medicine Leaves
Karra Wadlu Yaitya Purruna special event
To celebrate Karra Wadlu Yaitya Purruna, the WCH Foundation is hosting a panel discussion where artists and health care professionals will discuss the importance of maintaining bush medicine knowledge.
The event will be held on Thursday 14 November 2019 from 11am – 12.30pm in the Queen Victoria Lecture Theatre, Women’s and Children’s Hospital.