WHAT DOES ‘PALYA’ MEAN?
‘Palya’ is a word spoken by Pintupi, Luritja, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people living in Australia’s Western and Central Deserts.
Palya has several positive meanings, such as “Good”, and “I am well” and to say “Hello”.
Coolamon by Narpulla Scobie Napurrula, Polymer acrylic paint on sculpted wood. 270 x 720 mm
Palya Art’s Logo was designed by Helen after being given the coolamon, pictured, by Narpulla Scobie Napurrula and friends in 1985. Arriving in the back of an open bush vehicle, ‘ute’, in Walungurru (Kintore), Narpulla and ladies cheerily presented this beautiful coolamon to ‘Nampijinpa’ (Helen’s Pintupi ‘skin’ name), as a gift for working as nursing sister-pilot in Walungurru (Kintore) and Kiwirrkurra for the Pintupi Homelands Health Service.
A coolamon is a curved shape made from wood and is used for multiple purposes such as carrying babies, collecting bush foods and to winnow grain. When winnowing grain, seeds and strands of grass are steadily and rhythmically tossed from the coolamon into the air where the wind blows the light ‘rubbish’ strands away leaving just the seeds, which are then milled to flour.
Helen loved the coolamon, its shape, feel and hunting-travelling-gathering-country story, so caringly painted, that she wanted to include it somehow in her future work.
Palya Art’s logo incorporates the two curved ends of Narpulla Scobie’s coolamon, each touching the other in the sky between the Southern Cross. Palya.