E J - artistThis Piti was purchased from Maruku Arts at Uluru in 1996 the burnt / incised design makes it a perfect fit within the collection.
Signed in green ink on reverse, " E J " . Maruku artists are renowned for punu, (wood sculpture carvings) and artefacts as well as traditional weapons and utensils such as spears, boomerangs, shields, carved animals and seed necklaces. Desert women make a variety of wooden bowls frequently described as 'coolamons'. They are made from either sections of white gum, mulga or more commonly red river gum root and the traditional names vary according to the function. Piti, the largest, is used for water, food or belongings and is carried on the head with the aid of a handspun headring. The other two types are; Kanyilpa, smaller narrower & used to winnow edible seeds, and the smallest, Wira is used as a scoop or digging implement. Patterns are burnt into the woood using lengths of heated wire and although a relatively new technique the designs are traditional interpretations of landscape and stories learned from early childhood. Maruku Arts was established in 1984 as the trading arm of Anangu Uwankaraku Punu Aboriginal Corporation and operates a gallery in the cultural centre at the base of Uluru. The centre represents more than 800 artists from the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara language groups. Archive 1996 Receipt for purchase of Piti by EJ plus a brochure describing the traditional artefacts sold through the Gallery. |
Coolamon or “Piti” wood carved with burnt / incised design, c. 1995 56 x 19 x 10 cm
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