Indigenous Australian seasons facts for kids
Indigenous Australian seasons are special. Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander people have their own unique ways of dividing the year. How they name and understand seasons changes depending on where in Australia they live. Different groups of Aboriginal peoples have their own calendars.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and the CSIRO have worked with many groups. They have helped share information about these amazing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander seasonal calendars.
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How Indigenous Australians Track Seasons
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are very observant. They watch the stars in the sky. They also follow the cycles of water, plants, and animals. This helps them know when seasons are changing.
Their seasonal calendars show a deep understanding of nature. They know how all living things are connected. They use these calendars to predict changes in seasons and weather. This helps them know when certain foods will be available. It also helps them plan their journeys.
These seasonal calendars are different across Australia. They depend on the local environment and cultural beliefs. Specific natural events, like the appearance of certain insects, can signal seasonal changes. For example, if certain insects appear, it might mean the wet season is coming. This tells people it's time to gather yams.
Watching animal behavior is also important. The D'harawal people near Sydney listen for tiger quolls mating calls. This tells them that lillipilli fruit is ripening. When the fruit starts to fall, it's a sign. It's time for them to travel to the coast to find other seasonal foods.
Many groups still use their traditional seasonal calendars today. Sharing these calendars has shown the world how much scientific knowledge these communities have. This knowledge has helped Western scientists learn more about plants, animals, the environment, and weather.
BOM and CSIRO Resources
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) and the CSIRO have worked with many groups. They help create and share Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander seasonal calendars. BOM has an interactive map online. Both BOM and CSIRO have detailed information about many Aboriginal seasonal calendars. You can even download and print posters of these calendars from their websites.
Understanding Aboriginal Seasons
North Coast: Yolngu Seasons
The Yolŋu people live in North-East Arnhem Land. They identify six seasons in their year. Many non-Indigenous people in this area usually only talk about two seasons: the Wet and the Dry. The Yolngu seasons are much more detailed.
| Season Name | Time of Year | Weather | Plants and Animals | Activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mirdawarr | Late March, April |
Wet season ends with some rain. Winds from the south-east. Air is still hot and humid. | Lots of plant foods are ready. Many fish are around. | People stay in large camps. Travel is hard because of floods. Long grass and mosquitoes are common. People hunt geese in swamps. They also fish, especially in large groups, using traps and nets as floodwaters go down. |
| Dhaarratharramirri | Late April, May, June, July, August |
Dry season. Winds from the east and south-east. | People move around more. Big wet-season camps break up. They burn grass areas to help hunting. They hunt kangaroos, bandicoots, and goannas. Fishing is still important, using nets in shallow waters. This is a very important time for ceremonies. | |
| Rarranhdharr | September, October |
Hot and dry. Gets hotter towards the end of the dry season. Winds mainly from the north-east. Lots of lightning and thunder. | Stringybark trees are flowering. | Less moving around after the grass is burned. People poison fish in shrinking waterholes. They also spear fish in rivers and along the coast. This is an important time for ceremonies. |
| Worlmamirri | Late October, November, December |
The start of the wet season. Very hot and humid. Strong thunderstorms happen more often. | People don't move much. They stay in camps near water that lasts all year. | |
| Baarramirri | Late December, January |
Short season with north-west winds. The wet season begins. There are strong north-west gales and gentler breezes. | People stay in wet season camps. Travel inland is difficult because of floods and thick grass. | |
| Gurnmul or Waltjarnmirri |
January, February, March |
The main wet season. | People stay in camps. Travel inland is difficult because of floods. |
Central Australia: Anangu Pitjantjatjara Seasons
The Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara people live in central Australia. This is in northern South Australia and the southern Northern Territory. Here are some of their seasons:
| Season Name | Time of Year | Weather | Plants and Animals | Activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wanitjunkupai | April, May |
The start of cold weather. Clouds appear, but usually no rain. They come from the south with westerly winds. They stay low over the hills until late in the day. | Reptiles go into hibernation (sleep through winter). The name means "hibernate." | |
| Wari | Late May, June, July |
The cold time. There is frost and mist or dew every morning. Not much rain. | ||
| Piriyakutu/ Piriya-Piriya | ~August, September |
When the priya wind comes. This is a warm, steady wind from the north and west. | Animals start to breed. Food plants flower, fruit, and make seeds. Reptiles come out of hibernation. Honey grevillea flowers bloom. | A good time to hunt kangaroos. |
| Mai Wiyaringkupai / Kuli | ~December | The hottest season. Storm clouds and lightning, but little rain. Lightning can start fires. | Not much food is available at this time. | |
| Itjanu / Inuntjji | January, February, March |
Overcast clouds usually bring rain. | Food plants flower. If there is good rain, there is plenty of fruit and seeds. |
South-West Australia: Noongar Seasons
The Noongar people live in south-west Australia, near Perth. Their seasons don't follow a strict calendar. They depend on small changes in the weather, like wind, rain, and temperature. These seasonal cycles are part of their "knowledge trails." These trails guide groups to reliable sources of food and water. The Whadjuk Noongar people name their seasons as follows:
| Season Name | Time of Year | Weather | Plants and Animals | Activities |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunuru | February, March |
Hot and dry. Winds from the east and north. | Fish like tailor and mullet are in shallow water. Macrozamia plants are fruiting. Wattle and banksia trees are blossoming. | People trap fish along coasts and in river mouths. They collect frogs, marron (freshwater crayfish), gilgies (another type of freshwater crayfish), and tortoises from wetlands. They climb trees for possums. They collect Macrozamia fruit and remove its toxins. They also collect and roast bulrush roots and a spice from a plant called Haemodorum spicatum. They gather wattle and banksia blossoms and various roots. |
| Djeran | April, May |
Getting cooler. South-west winds. | Groups fish at lakes and weirs (inland). They continue fishing in river mouths. They collect edible bulbs and seeds. | |
| Makuru | June, July |
Cold and rainy. Strong westerly gales. | Black swans start losing their feathers, so they can't fly. | People move inland to hunt when the rivers fill up. They hunt black swans. They collect Tribonanthus tubers. They stay warm by holding smoldering Banksia branches under their skin cloaks. |
| Djilba | August, September |
Getting warmer. | People collect roots like meen and djakat. They dig out Platysace cirrosa tubers from under wandoo trees. They hunt emus, southern brown bandicoots, kangaroos, and possums. | |
| Kambarang | October, November |
Less rain. | Astroloma and desert quandong fruits are ready. | People move to the coast. They gather sweet gum by removing bark from the WA Christmas tree. They collect yams (Dioscorea hastifolia and Platysace cirrosa). They collect eggs from waterfowl and other birds. They catch tortoises, frogs, and freshwater crayfish. They trap possums and kangaroos. |
| Birak | December, January |
Hot and dry. Easterly breezes during the day. South-west sea breezes in the late afternoon. | Banksia trees are flowering. | People gather banksia flowers for honey. They catch bronzewing pigeons. They use controlled burning to help hunting and new plant growth. |
Torres Strait Islands Seasons
In the Torres Strait Islands, seasons are linked to wind direction and changes in nature. There are four main seasons based on the wind: Kuki, Zey (or Zei), Nay Gay (or Nai Gai), and Sager (or Zoerr).
- During Kuki, from January to April, strong north-west winds bring the wet season (monsoon).
- From May to December, it is Sager/Zoerr. South-east trade winds blow, and the weather is dry.
- Zey/Zei happens when southerly winds blow. This can happen at different, unpredictable times of the year.
- During Nay Gay/Naigai, from October to December, northerly winds are common. These winds bring high heat and humidity.
The people of Masig Island (also known as Yorke Island) are called the Masigalgal. They are part of the Kulkulgal nation in the central Torres Strait. The exact timing of these four seasons changes each year. Masig islanders watch for signs in the winds, weather, sea life, plants, and animals. These signs tell them when one season is expected to change to another. Community celebrations, hunting, gardening, and cultural activities are all planned around this yearly cycle of food availability and renewal.
