Keith Stevens Australian, Pitjantjatjara, b. c.1940
Piltati 2013
acrylic on linen
100 x 150 cm
826473
This is the story of two women- the older sister is called Atatjara. They are sitting at their camp and everyday they go out looking for the kuka pulka (big...
This is the story of two women- the older sister is called Atatjara. They are sitting at their camp and everyday they go out looking for the kuka pulka (big meat). They think they are on the trail of a big meaty snake but really they are following fake tracks made by two men. The man have used their miru (spear throwers) to make tracks that look like a big snake, to trick the women. They are Wanampi men (water-snake men) and they shed off kuka kulupa (little bits of meat) to keep the women chasing the big prize.The women always think they are getting close, but they only ever find small meat. They are confused. One day they are following the tracks and digging, they dig one hole...nothing, they dig a second hole...nothing, they dig a third and forth hole and finally while they are digging their fifth hole they uncover two men asleep. The men are snoring. The women look at each other and say “hey, there is no big meat, this is two men playing a trick!” The women get wild. While the men are still sleeping, one woman takes her wana (digging stick) and strikes one of the men in the back. The man wakes up in pain and sees the woman running away. He chases her, devours her and they dive back into the Piltati roickhole, the Wanampiku ngura (water-snake resting place/home).The Wanampi is always surrounded by water. He belongs to water, water belongs to him.