Artist

Kantjupayi Benson

Location

Papulankutja Arts

Language Groups

Ngaanyatjarra

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Kantjupayi Benson
Ngaanyatjarra born c. 1933
Bush banana 2003
wool, wire, human hair, raffia, gauze, found objects, Tjanpi (desert grass), Minarri (woolybutt, E. Miniata), Wangurmu and Kurtanu
(a) 58.0 x 37.0 x 59.8 cm (b) 60.5 x 80.5 x 67.7 cm
(c) 58.0 x 28.5 x 57.0 cm
Purchased with funds donated by Supporters and Patrons of Indigenous Art, 2003
2003.669.a-c
© Kantjupayi Benson, courtesy of Tjanpi Desert Weavers, NPY Women's Council

At this place called Kuli Pirtin, a mother and her two children, a boy and a girl, used to stop, camp and eat the bush bananas from that area.

One day the mother left the boy and girl at the camp while she went out to collect some bush bananas. Two men were hiding in the bushes and watched the mother as she was collecting the food for her children. One man threw his boomerang at the mother, hit her across the back of her neck and killed her. He then squeezed her breast, saw that she had some milk and realised she must have some children back in her camp.

He followed her tracks back to camp and found the two children. He first of all threw his boomerang at the boy, hit him on the back of his legs and killed him. He then chased the young girl and killed her as well.