Description
Artist Statement:
Bush tucker, also called bush food is depicted in this painting being traditional bush tucker from Wallaga Lakes, the artist traditional lands. Bush tucker is any food native to Australia and used as sustenance by First Nations People; but it can also describe any native fauna or flora used for culinary or medicinal purposes, regardless of the continent or culture. Examples of Australian native animal foods include kangaroo, emu and crocodile. In particular, kangaroo is quite common and can be found in Australian supermarkets, often cheaper than beef. Kangaroo is a very healthy option to Beef as it is very low in fat. Other animals, for example; Fish and shellfish were popular fare for the Yuin people who were coastal dwellers. Australian native plant foods include fruits such as Quantong, kithara, muntries, riberry, Davidson’s plum and finger lime. Native spices include lemon myrtle, mountain pepper, and the Kakadu plum. A popular leafy vegetable is warrigal greens. Nuts include bunya nut, and the most identifiable bush tucker plant harvested and sold in large-scale commercial quantities is the macadamia nut. Knowledge of Aboriginal uses of fungi is meagre but beefsteak fungus and native bread were certainly eaten. Aboriginals have eaten native animal and plant foods for an estimated 60,000 years on the Australian continent various traditional methods of processing and cooking are used. Toxic seeds, such as Cycads media and Moreton Bay Chestnuts, are processed to remove the toxins and render them safe to eat. Many foods are also baked in the hot campfire coals, or baked for several hours in ground ovens. This painting captures the eating habits of the Yuin People.
Size: 122cm Deep x 61cm Wide
