AM 303/02 Nancy Nodea Pelican Hole - Texas Country 2002
Natural ochre & pigment on canvas 80 x 60 cm $1,210.00

This is a Ngarrangkarni (Dreaming) story that explains a particular hill in Texas Downs Country that has a tree growing in the middle of two ridges. In the Dreaming, the Pelican and Jabiru went fishing in Texas Country.  They were fishing the old way, by cutting spinifex and rolling it in the water to form a large woven mass that was then placed in a narrow part of the creek to act like a fish trap. They had been fishing a long time and still caught nothing. They both got bored and angry. So the jabiru set fire to the bush and it burnt the hill nearby the creek that they were both fishing in, it also burnt the Jabiru, that is why he is black today. The Pelican stayed where he was and planted the Mungwingee (soapwood) tree on that hill. The soapwood tree was planted so that any time people went fishing and couldn't catch fish, they could use the tree to catch plenty fish. The soap wood tree has an unusual bark that when rubbed in water causes a foaming action that stuns fish and causes them to float to the top of the water. This makes it easy to catch them. This soapwood tree can be found on top of this hill in Texas Country.