Anwekety (Conkerberry) by Elizabeth Mpetyane (SOLD)

Painted by Elizabeth Mpetyane with satay sticks and ink bottles, the dot work in this painting represents anwekety (conkerberries). It's Dreaming story belongs to Elizabeth's country, Ahalpere.

The conkerberry (also often called bush plum), is a sweet black berry that is favoured by desert aboriginals. They only grow on the plant (Carissa lanceolata) for a few weeks of the year, however Elizabeth’s people would collect plenty of them and store them dry, soaking them in water again before being consumed. The plant of the conkerberry is a tangled, spiny shrub that can grow up to 2m high. After rain fragrant white flowers bloom. This plant also bares medicinal properties. The orange inner bark from the roots can be soaked in water and the resultant solutions can be used as a medicinal wash. This is particularly favoured for skin and eye conditions. The thorns on the shrub can be used to cure warts.

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Desert Dots II exhibition | 13 April - 9 June 2017