Arlepe (Prickly Wattle) Leaf by Loretta Neil

Arlepe is the Arrente name for the Prickly Wattle tree and this design has the leaves in it. Back in my homeland, I like to sit under the shade of a large tree. We have lots of different trees in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) and some are sacred and used to make bush medicine. There are a big mob of Arlepe Prickly Wattle down by Lhere Mparntwe (Todd River) and after the rain they might bloom, they have beautiful yellow flowers that attract insects. It has seeds that you can eat cooked or raw, and the sap is sweet and you can eat that too. Sometimes we collect green seeds and when they have dried out a bit you cook them. The design has two different shaped leaves and I love the patterns on them.