Button Earrings – Emu Dreaming – Medium

Artwork: Emu Dreaming
Artist: Margaret Nangala Gallagher
Artwork Story:
A 'Yankirri' (emu) and a 'Wardilyka' (bush turkey) would travel around the country picking 'Yakajirri' (bush raisins), mashing them into 'Kapurdu' (fruit balls) to save in their nests to eat after collecting. They began to grow jealous of each other, the emu though the bush turkey was picking the best and juiciest 'Yakajirri', leaving him with the sour 'Yakajirri'. The emu went to the turkeys nest while out hunting and smashed all of this 'Yakajirri'. The Turkey returned and realised what had happened and flew to the emu to confront him, they got into a big fight eventually ending with smash 'Yakajirri'. Neither the Turkey or Emu were left with the fruit balls, a source of nutrition still practiced today.