Description
The yalke (Bush onion) storyline goes through Karrinyarra (Mt Wedge), Yuendamu and Mt. Doreen. Emma is a traditional owner for this places.
The ceremonial dancing women feature strongly in Emma“’s painting. She uses the brush with long flowing brush strokes the way the women do when they paint their bodies. Emma loves colour and this painting shows it.
This bush onion ceremony is at Mount Wedge. The roundels describe the rockholes around the lake at Mount Wedge. The body painting is used to describe the story behind this piece. Women are shown seated with coolamons full of Bush Onions (Yalke).
Yalke dreaming – Bush onion. Emma has strong connections with Yuendamu and Mt. Doreen as well. She used to live there with her brother. She has painted the story of Yalke (bush onion) which grows very well in that area especially in the late summer / autumn time when it has rained. It is like a fine grass growing close to the ground and the women dig up the roots and very small onions are found there. When she paints Yalke she uses a stick and makes small dots which join together to create layers of textured colour.