Honey Ants Hand Painted Ceramic Platterby Kanytjupai Armstrong

This beautiful hand painted ceramic plate depicts honey ants, which is a food source for Aboriginal people in central Australia.

The honey ant is found in the ground in Mulga country. Aboriginal women dig down from the openings, following the shaft, scooping out the dirt. Honey ants are harvested from the side in the main part of the nest. They are dragged out with a little stick. The Honey ant is placed on the tongue and the abdomen is bitten and honey sucked from it. Aboriginal children love it!

Artist:Kanytjupai Armstrong
Title:Honey Ants Hand Painted Ceramic Platter
ID:KA0906100
Medium:Ceramics
Size:38 cm
Region:Pukatja, South Australia

Artist

Kanytjupai Armstrong comes from Pukatja or formally known as Ernabella Community just over the border in South Australia. Kanytjupai is a Pitjantjatjara woman from the traditional homelands of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands.

Artists from Ernabella and in particular the women from Ernabella are renowned for their work as part of the Tjanpi Desert Weavers. The Tjanpi Desert Weavers have held extremely popular workshops in Alice Springs and have toured nationally. They came to fame for their recreation of a Toyato Troop Carrier made of natural fibres.

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