Alison Munti Riley b. 1966

This
painting depicts Ili and Kaliny-Kalinypa stories. Alison paints
the ili – wild or native figs (ficus brachypoda) - that grow in the rocky
gullies of hills and ranges of Central Australia. Figs are usually a fruit of the tropics,
but this species has adapted to dry conditions to survive in the arid desert
regions. The ili are collected by women, their
sweet red fruits are a tasty and desired bush tucker. This story was handed to
Alison, by her grandfather, whose name incorporated ili, the Pitjantjatjara
word for wild fig.

Alison
also paints Kaliny-Kalinypa, or the honey grevillea plant grevillea
eriostachya, a native shrub that produces long spikes of bright
yellow-green flowers. It is a sought-after food source, cherished in particular
by Anangu children for the honey-like nectar that the flowers produce. Alison talks
of her memories of the flowers being placed in a in a coolamon with kapi
(water) to soak, which makes a refreshing sweet drink that she calls “bush
cordial”, or “honey water”. There is cultural significance and Dreaming
stories related to this plant; Alison says this Kaliny-Kalinypa Dreaming story
belonged to her great-grandmother, her father’s grandmother.