Bush Bean Dreaming by Peggy Granites Napurrlula - 77 x 134 cm (#PGN 030209)

This painting by Peggy Granites Napurrlula represents Bush Bean Dreaming (Dogwood Tree Bean) and places of Peggy's Country located at Yumurrla water hole, 140 kilometres from Yuendumu, in Central Australia.

The Bush Beans are 30 cm long seed pods (Acacia Cariacea) and they have had an important significance to Warlpiri people for survival as they are highly nutritious. The bush beans are gathered  green and can be eaten raw like green peas or cooked in ashes. During the summer time women, accompanied by children, collect the beans and perform ceremonies - reinforcing the connection to Country. 

Peggy Granites (born 1958) is one of the senior custodians for this Dreaming. She has depicted this story using traditional Warlpiri iconography and colours. Country is seen from an aerial perspective and portrays the seasonal the seasonal changes of the plant. The concentric circles represent ceremonial sites and Dogwood Trees. The 'X' shapes symbolise flowers and boomerang like forms symbolise plant pods. The long winding lines show tracks of women collecting beans.

Peggy's works are represented in Australian and overseas collections.