Muluymuluy Wirrpanda
Buḻwutja
Image Size: 65 x 39cm; Paper Size: 76 x 56cm; Paper: Somerset

ID: 4809-25

Buḻwutja is a water yam that grows in the billabong. My sister Mulkuṉ taught me how to paint this. Bulwutja has a songline which is sung by my clan, Dhudi-Djapu. This is a Dhuwa plant. The old people would go and collect Buḻwutja in the wet season. You can’t find it when it is dry because there are no leaves. First we dig in the water for Buḻwutja. Then we make a fire. When the fire burns down we take the coals to one side and put sand on top of them. Then the hot sand cooks the Buḻwutja. There are lots of different bush yams, like ganguri, gaṉay’, yukuwa, ṉiṉḏaṉ’ and yoku. Now Yolŋu can buy food at the shop, but it has lots of sugar in it. Bulwutja is healthy. It tastes sweet and goes good with fish. We always try to get them when we go hunting.