Bundjulahm
(aka Patsy Nagas)
the turtles swim in circles
high in the headwaters of the Clarence,
Bundjulahm once dived to catch them,
then she painted them.
stories of childhood she relates brightly
remembering the carefree happy times
reminding me her name means,Butterfly.
the Bundjalung elder paints for love
her paintings testimony to a well lived life
recently she rejoined her ancestor spirits
to paint the land into being
from a different vantage.
Original Painting by Patsy Nagas in acrylic on canvas
A luminous and joyous painting. Thank you for your poem and her painting, Rob. RIP Bundjulahm.
ReplyDeleteThanks a pleasure Efi
ReplyDeletereally beautiful painting, seems close to Navajo sand paintings' spirit ....
ReplyDelete