Name: BLUE BUSH BANANA
Aboriginal Artists: NOLA NAPANGARDI FISHER
PAINTING STORY
‘Purrpalanji’ (skinny bush banana [Rhyncharrhena linearis]) is a twining climber with thin leaves and pink-brown flowers. Its bean-like edible pods are long and skinny, and can grow up to 20 cm long. It is fire tolerant and grows quickly whenever moisture is available. Like ‘yuparli’ (bush banana [Marsdenia australis]), all of the plant is eaten aside from the woody stems.
This ‘purrpalanji Jukurrpa’ (skinny bush banana Dreaming) comes from Pikilyi (Vaughan Springs), a large waterhole and natural spring to the west of Yuendumu, close to Mount
Doreen. Napangardi/Napanangka women and Japangardi/Japanangka men are the ‘kirda’ (owners) of the skinny bush banana Dreaming at Pikilyi. Nangala women and
Jangala men are the ‘kurdungurlu’ (custodians) of this Dreaming.
Napangardi and Napanangka women collect ‘purrpalanji’ (skinny bush banana) and ‘yuparli’ (bush banana) around Pikilyi in their ‘parraja’ (coolamons). They cook the ‘purrpalanji’ and ‘yuparli’ in hot ashes to get rid of the acidic taste they can have
when eaten raw. The skinny bush banana Dreaming is only associated with Pikilyi, and does not travel to other locations.
Pikilyi is an important site associated with a number of different Dreamings. These include ‘yuparli Jukurrpa’ (bush banana Dreaming), ‘warrilyi ngurlu Jukurrpa’ (blue mallee
[Eucalyptus polybractea] seed Dreaming), ‘kakalyalya Jukurrpa’ (cockatoo Dreaming), and ‘warna-jarra Jukurrpa’ (two snakes Dreaming). In the two snakes Dreaming story, Napangardi and Napanangka women picked lice off of the two snakes living in
the waterhole at Pikilyi.
In Warlpiri paintings, traditional iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa and other elements. Curved lines are used to represent the long, skinny edible portion of the
‘purrpalanji’ (skinny bush banana).
SOFT: Bamboo fibre is softer than the softest cotton, has a natural sheen to the surface and feels similar to silk or cashmere.
PROTECTIVE: Bamboo fibre clothing is naturally anti-microbial that requires no finish treatment with harmful chemicals. Bamboo apparel is comfortable, thermal regulating that will keep the body cooler, drier, warmer and odour free.
HYPOALLERGENIC: Bamboo's organic and natural properties make it non-irritating so perfect for extra sensitive skin, and it cuts out 98% of harmful UV rays.
The pattern may differ slightly from the image depending on the place where of the cloth to be cut out.
Fabric: 65% Bamboo Fibre / 35% Cotton
Clothes handling tag with one spare button
- Wash before use(will shrink a little bit)
- Warm machine
- Wash with similar colours
- Do not bleach
- Do not soak
- Dry whiteout delay
- Do not tumble dry (Shrink very much)
- Cool Iron on reverse
- Do not dry clean
*Note: Not recommended to drip dry in the sun, It may be heat and shrink. (Especially summer)
Colours may vary slightly from the image.
