Karlangu (Digging Sticks) 2002 by Dorothy Napangardi 122x60cm

In this painting, at the site of Mina Mina, the artist's custodial country, we see a forest of desert oak trees. These trees form an important part of the Women's Dreaming (Karntakurlangu Tjukurrpa) which translates as 'belonging to women'), in which Dorothy depicts women of the Napangardi/Napanangka kinship group, dancing through their country, singing the world into existence.

Very slow growing, their root system is a third (at least) of the tree, reaching far down to access the water. These beautiful trees are quite majestic in this far west part of the central desert of Australia. One can understand the importance they hold in many dreaming stories.