Edna Wangallay Ambrym, Eat of Country, Heal from Country - Gathering II

Edna Wangallay Ambrym, Eat of Country, Heal from Country - Gathering IIOur elders taught us skills to live from and off the land. They had extensive knowledge of the flora and fauna around them, and this knowledge sustained them for over 65,000 years. This work honours the way our old people lived, eating from Country, not from packets. It reflects the deep knowledge passed through generations: food was gathered, hunted, shared, and respected. Today, our health suffers from too much takeaway and disconnection. This

a big beautiful nest to place her eggs and keep them safe

and spiritual acknowledgment between coastal and inland peoples

to put the fire out

and responsibility

During the wet season the swamps around Normanton are a good place to gather bush foods

18 x 23 x 1

or snakes and making food for the family

This hand‑woven raffia dillybag carries the colours of my rainforest Malanbarra Yidinji Country — the bright greens

I love painting birds and I love my country

and cultural sites of my homelands

Dorothy Edwards 'Foraging' 2023

Illustrated by Pormpuraaw Artists