Description
Honey ants are a much prized delicacy, considered to be
well worth the enormous effort it takes to dig them out of
the ground. The ants dig tunnels quite deep under the
ground in ‘jirrijirrinpa’ (mulga woodland) country. Branching
from these passage ways are chambers (‘mingki’), from the
ceiling of which the honey ants are suspended, full of food.
With their swollen abdomens, the ants are unable to move.
The country associated with this Jukurrpa is
Wanakurdpanda, east of Yuendumu. This Jukurrpa also
travels through Yuendumu, and belongs to
Japangardi/Japanangka men and Napangardi/Napanangka
women. Honey ants can be identified by a little yellow stripe
on their backs.
