Debbie Brown is the “custodian” of the site where the bush tomato grows, and as such, she is responsible for performing the rituals that maintain the fertility of this site. To convey a spiritual force to the land that will support plant growth, the artist and the women of her clan apply body paint, sing, and dance during sacred ceremonies known as “awelye,” during which the ground is also painted using the dot technique characteristic of Central Desert art - a technique that Debbie Brown employs in this painting.
By creating this artwork, the painter carries out a similar ritual action.
