Cotton Tea Towel with Australian Indigenous Art
62.5cm x 42.5cm
Our beautiful cotton tea towels are printed with indigenous art, a colourful addition our range of eco products and eco gifts. Created by artisans from Better World Arts, a Fair Trader of Australia, the artwork on each tea towel has a story that is provided by the artist, who receives royalties for each piece sold.
Better World Arts sources art from indigenous artists across Australia. They send details plans of the art to artisans around the world. Artisans interpret the plans into their own indigenous medium (handicraft). Better World Arts then distribute the results across Australia and internationally. This generates generous royalties for the artists and sustainable incomes for artisans.
Below are the stories of the artwork on each of the designs available.
Two Dogs Dreaming by Murdie Nampijinpa Morris
Two dog ancestors a Jampinjinpa and a Napangardi, travelled from the west to the east. They dug holes in the ground and created 'warnim' (rockholes) and 'ngapa' (waterholes) as they went. The two dogs separated. Eventually Jampijinpa became lonely and howled for Napangardi in the south. She came running to him, and they married each other at Ngarnka.
Bush-tail possum Dreaming by Stephen Jupurrula Nelson
This story comes from a big hill called Mawurrji, west of Yuendumu and north of Pikilyi (Vaughan Springs). A group of 'janganpa' ancestors resided there. Every night they would go out in search of food. Their hunting trips took them to Wiriki and Wanapirdi, where they found 'pamapardu' (flying ants).
Family and Country by Damien & Yilpi Marks
This is a teaching painting, describing an dry season in Mount Liebig, in the Northern Territory. Women & children collect bush potatoes & prepare for inma (ceremony). A man, wait, sits down with his waru (spear). Controlled burnings are taking place as the spinifex is dry, and this means good fruits can grow.
7 Sisters by Andrea Adamson Tiger
The sisters created the landscape as they tried to escape from Wati Nyiru. They created a rock hole which went under the ground and came up on the other side of the hill. The women dived into the water then flew up into the sky. Wati Nyiru followed them. Now, Wati Nyiru can be seen to the south of the seven sisters the Pleiades), as he still chases them across the sky.
Salt Lake by Lynette Nangala Brown
Lynette's scupltured work and paintings are narrative, telling the stories of life on country and in community. Salt Lakes are dotted throughout the country she is familiar with. Lynette lives in Irrunytui (Wangellmal) and although she lives in the Ngeanyatjarra Lands, her heritage is the Pintjanjatjara language and culture group.
Waterhole by Olivia Wilson
Olivia is a junior artist of Kaurna and Narungga background. She has watched and leaerned from Pitjanjatjara and Yankunytjatjara artists for most of her life, learning their stories and techniques. Olivia has painted a water hole, important in ancient Australia for survival of animals and people.
Waru (Bush Fire Dreaming) by Patricia Napumula Multa
This painting is about three massive bushfires that burned parallel to each other, across the landscape scarrting the land. It started at Warlungurru near Kintore.
Two Sisters by Julie Woods
Two sisters travel through their mother's country towards Docker River, Northern Territory. They stopped at Ilkuwaratjara and cut a wana (digging stick). The little siste ws getting homesick, but the big sister said "No, I am taking you to meet your family" Along the way they were digging for kuka (meat such as goanna and Niny (bilby).
Yam and Bush Tomato Dreaming
This design shows the Yam and Bush Tomato Dreaming. You can see the Yams and the small round berries of the Bush Tomatoes. In the Dreamtime the people used to eat these fruits and vegetables, just as our old people lived off them. The artist painted this paining to teach the children.
