‘Woman Hunting and Gathering for Bush Food’ - Trephina Sultan Thanguwa

Title: Woman Hunting and Gathering for Bush Food

Artist: Trephina Sultan Thanguwa

Medium: Acrylic on Canvas

Size: 300 x 500 mm

Region: Alice Springs, Central Australia

Year: 2018

Note: This artwork is unframed

Artwork Description:

Woman Hunting and Gathering for Bush Food by Trephina Sultan Thanguwa beautifully captures the deep connection between Aboriginal women and the land. Painted in rich acrylic tones, this piece represents the traditional practice of women gathering bush foods — a vital part of Central Australian Indigenous culture. The flowing lines and organic patterns reflect the movement of women across Country, searching for and collecting native foods while maintaining their spiritual connection to the land and ancestors. 

About the Artist:

Born in 1967 in Alice Springs, Trephina Sultan Thanguwa is a respected Luritja artist known for her storytelling through vivid colour and symbolic design. From a young age, Trephina was inspired by her family and community, often watching her relatives paint before creating her own artworks in the dirt. She later developed her skills to become a talented painter whose works celebrate Central Australian landscapes, women’s stories, and traditional bush knowledge.

In addition to her art, Trephina has contributed to preserving her language and culture as a Luritja language specialist and interpreter, helping develop an Aboriginal-English dictionary with the Institute for Aboriginal Development in Alice Springs. Her art continues to share the wisdom, culture, and beauty of her people