182-25 – Mangarri (Bush Tucker) – HELEN NAGOMARA

Artist : HELEN NAGOMARA
Title : Mangarri (Bush Tucker)
Size/Medium : 1219 x 610mm: acrylic on canvas Painting

Biography : 

Helen Nagomara was born at Old Balgo Mission in 1953. Helen is the 3rd child and second daughter of artist Milliga Napaltjarri and Albert Nagomara Senior.

Miliga was from Kulkurta in Western Australia near Tjukurla and her father was from Yagga Yagga way. Helen’s father met her Mother down south and came to Balgo and settled at the mission. Her father used to work around Wirrimanu helping to build the new Balgo.

Helen stayed at Balgo mission school until 1968 with Imelda, Gracie, Tossie, Jane and her sister Joan. Mission days in the dormitory the girls needed permission sought from the priest Father John McGuire to go and see their parents for the day and come back again to the dormitory at night.

She was taught by Nuns and would spend summers camping at Paraku (Lake Gregory) and the rockhole near Kunuwarra. 

Helen is one of the principal translators in Balgo, working with Warlayirti Artists and Wakala Language Centre to keep the Kukatja language strong.

Helen has been painting at Warlayirti Artists since around 2000, she paints bush tucker that is found around her Mother’s country. She sees these bushfoods sometimes on ICTV but has never been there in real life. It is far away past Kintore and Kiwirrkurra communities.

She still dreams of visiting her country one day. 

Story :

In this painting depicts some of the country of Helen’s mother, the late Milliga. Located at the very south of Balgo near Tjukurrla and Warakurna, this country is known as Gaugo and is extremely sacred.

Depicting several varieties of bush food, or mangarri, Helen paints kumpupatja (bush tomato), Witjirrki (Wild Fig Bush Onion), Pamilyi (Bush Passionfruit) and Tjurnta (bush seeds).

In the desert regions, local foods reflect the seasonal changes and Helen through her painting tells of this sacred country and its abundance of foods.