Karen Bird Ngale

Born: 1984 As the daughter of [Lindsay Bird Mpetyane](https://www.utopialaneart.com.au/collections/lindsay-bird-mpetyane), a senior elder and Lawman of Ilkawerne country, Karen grew up in a small outstation in southern Utopia called Angkula. She attended Mulga Bore primary school in Utopia and later attended Yirrara College in Alice Springs. Karen paints the [Alpar Seed story](https://www.utopialaneart.com.au/collections/alpar-rat-tail-seed-story) which belongs to her country, Ilkawerne. She was taught painting by the senior women of Ilkawerne and the stories, songs and dances that come with it.Alpar is an Anmatyerre word for the kalpari, or rat-tail (dysphania kalpari), which is a native plant to central and western Australia. It grows with erect stems with small flowers that give it its name ‘Rat Tail’. The plant has a strong citrus smell and grows abundantly in the Utopia region on Ilkawerne Country, which is 350 klm north east of Alice Springs. On their Country, the women gather the plants black seeds, soak…