This nerve carries the visual information from our eyes to our brains where it is interpreted to give us a meaningful image of what we see. The brain will process all the details of what we observe and compare them with past observations. In this way, we learn to recognise the patterns and shapes that make up our environment and turn those visual images into the information we use to build our picture of the world.

The area captured in this image is 27 micrometres wide (1 micrometre is one thousandth of a millimetre).

Image by Ian Kaplin

 This Jukurrpa belongs to women of the Nakamarra/Napurrurla subsections and to Jakamarra/Jupurrurla men. This Dreaming is associated with a place called Jaralypari, north of Yuendumu. Lukarrara (desert fringe-rush [Fimbristylis oxystachya & Fimbristylis eremophila]) is a grass with an edible seed. The seeds are traditionally ground on a large stone (‘ngatinyanu’)
with a smaller stone (‘ngalikirri’) to make flour. This flour is mixed with water (‘ngapa’) to make damper cakes which are cooked and eaten. In Warlpiri traditional paintings iconography is used to represent the Jukurrpa, particular sites and other elements. Large concentric circles often represent the site of Jaralypari and also the seed-bearing grass Lukurrara. ‘U’ shapes can depict the Karnta (women) collecting ‘lukarrara’ and straight lines are frequently used to portray seeds that fall down to the ground and are also collected by women using their ‘parrajas’ (wooden food carriers) and ‘karlangu’ (digging sticks).Artist: Priscilla Napurrurla Herbert, Warlukurlangu Artists of Yuendumu

If you like this painting, Priscilla has a similar one for sale through her art centre.