Lot 85

Tjungu Palya, South Australia (accompanied by the certificate of authenticity)
Private collection, Melbourne

"Wati ngintaka (ancestoral perentie man) was sitting at home, Arran. He heard a beautiful sound like music. He followed that sound east for a long time and came to a camp of people. The noise was a grinding stone. He was given some mai (bush food) that had been ground with that stone and it was the best he had ever tasted. Next day when everyone was going out hunting wati ngintaka said he had a sore foot and stayed back at camp. He thought he was alone but there was a young boy watching him while he stole that grinding stone. He made many tracks, to confuse the others when they tried to follow him.
When everyone returned to camp from hunting they found the grinding stone and wati ngintaka were both gone. The young boy showed them which way he went and they chased after him. Wati ngintaka could hear all the noise as they approached and hid the grinding stone before stopping to rest. The others searched him but found nothing so let him keep going but knowing he had hid it somewhere, He made it back to his own camp and went off to find some mai (bush food). He put the grinding stone on top of his wiltja (small shelter). When he returned he saw a big mob waiting for him and they had the grinding stone. He tried to fight but they killed him and cut off his tail."

As stated on the Tjungu Palya certificate of authenticity

© David Miller/Copyright Agency, 2026