Collection: Rachael Nambula

Born: c.1970
Region: Ti Tree, Central Australia
Language: Anmatyerre
Subjects and Dreaming: Bush Tucker, Emu, Bush Yam

Rachael Nambula was born c.1970 at Stirling Station, north of Ti Tree, north of Alice Springs, Northern Territory. Rachael’s inspiration to paint comes from her mother Evelyn Pultara and other family members. Rachael is a teacher’s assistant at the Neutral Junction Station Primary School in the Barrow Creek region ,whilst studying at Bachelor College in Darwin to become a qualified teacher, specialising in Aboriginal Culture programs.

It is meaningful to Rachael to continue painting her ancestors Dreaming stories.

Her main painting design is the Pencil Yam. Her mother, Evelyn Pultara, is one of the senior custodians of the Pencil Yam Dreaming and this has been passed down to Rachael. The Pencil Yam is an important food source for the Aboriginal people. Rachael represents the Yam in both fine and broad leaf style.

Her colourful and intricate paintings of Bush Tucker show some of the different types of traditional foods that the women would collect including seeds, berries, witchetty grubs, goanas as well as leaves that would be used for bush medicine.

She is the mother to three sons and one daughter. It is meaningful to Rachael to continue painting her ancestors Dreaming’s.