Pirlarla Jukurrpa (Dogwood Tree Bean Dreaming) - Peggy Napurrurla Granites
Pirlarla Jukurrpa (Dogwood Tree Bean Dreaming) - Peggy Napurrurla Granites 4260/21
Acrylic on Belgian Linen 91 x 61 cm
Stretched $979
Unstretched $854
‘Pirlarla’ are called ‘bush beans.’ They are the long seed pods of the ‘wakirlpirri’ (dogwood [Acacia coriacea] tree), which grows on the sides of creek beds and near ‘mulga’ trees. When it gets hot, women collect the ‘pirlarla’ and cook them on the fire. They then crack them open and eat the ‘ngurlu’ (seeds) inside. The seeds can be ground up and eaten. They can also be dried, ground up, and mixed with water in a ‘parraja’ (coolamon). Women squeeze a liquid called ‘ngungkarli’ or ‘yinjirrpi’ from them, which is sweet and good to drink.
In contemporary Warlpiri paintings, traditional iconography can be used to represent the Jukurrpa, particular sites, and other elements. Paintings of the ‘Pirlarla Jukurrpa’ often include designs that are painted onto women’s bodies during their Yawulyu ceremonies. Long sinuous lines represent the ‘pirlarla’ (bush beans), while round circles represent the ‘wakirlpirri’ (dogwood trees) that they grow on. Shorter curved lines can represent small ‘pirlarla.’
