Cultural and environmental connections
Over more than 65,000 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people developed unique methods of living which enabled life and community to flourish in the harshest environments. This allowed the development of the world's oldest continuing culture.
Australia is home to more than 500 individual nations or countries. Each has distinct cultural practices, beliefs and languages. These cultural practices:
- involve a deep spiritual connection to and understanding of the environment
- govern how communities live with and maintain the land, plants and animals of their region.
This artwork represents the relationships between seasonal, meteorological and astronomical changes, and how the Mandandanji people read these changes to inform life on Country. Credit: Laurie Nilsen.
Weather knowledge through the ages
Information about the weather and environment has been passed down the generations through storytelling and ceremony. Communities all over Australia continue to pass this information on today.
Cycles in the natural world
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander seasonal information is made up of an intimate knowledge of plant and animal cycles. It describes intricate connections in the natural world.
This knowledge is precious and irreplaceable heritage. Its value is increasingly recognised and appreciated by all Australians.
Some of this cultural knowledge records how various plants and animals react to the weather and environment around them.
Other observations are linked to seasonal expectations, such as:
- To the Wardaman people the appearance of March flies in September or October signals the end of the dry season.
- To the Walabunnba people, when the mirrlarr (rain bird) calls out, it's a sign there will be a lot of rain.
- During the Djilba season in Nyoongar country, the flowers of the balgas (grass trees) emerge in preparation for the coming Kambarang season.
Reading the environment
With the Nyoongar example above, a scientific explanation could be that falling humidity linked to the dry season triggers the flowering. This shows how you can read plants in much the same way as an automatic weather station. Their appearance is a direct result of past, present and even future weather.
The other examples are far less direct. They result from thousands of years of observations of the plant and animal kingdoms.
This reflects the deep Aboriginal philosophy that all things are connected. Subtle natural linkages can reveal much about climate and weather.
Seasonal descriptions
Australia's climate is diverse. There are monsoon tropics, desert, savannah, alpine and temperate regions. These ecological zones don't fit the European seasonal calendar of spring, summer, autumn and winter.
The seasonal cycles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures differ for each location. They provide a far more subtle overview of Australia's climate.
The names of the seasons are linked to local events, plants and animals.
For example, to the people of D'harawal country, the season of Marrai'gang is when the cries of the Marrai'gang (quoll) seeking his mate can be heard. This is also the time when the lilly pilly fruit begins to ripen on trees.
When the lilly pillies start to fall, it's time to mend the cloaks from the last cold season or make new ones. It's also time to begin the yearly trek to the coastal areas.