Kaurna calendar

Explore the traditional seasonal calendar of the Kaurna people in the Adelaide Plains, South Australia

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Kaurna seasonal calendar

There are 4 distinct weather periods recognised in the Kaurna seasonal cycle, as well as winds that act as seasonal indicators.

The mapping of Kaurna seasons to the Australian calendar is approximate as the seasons are very changeable.

Colour circle and phtos of indigenous people showing the four weather periods recognised in the Kaurna seasonal cycle.
Enlarge image

The Kaurna calendar shows the 4 seasons: Warltati, Parnati, Kudlila and Wirltuti

Warltati – Summer

Warltati occurs approximately January to March

Indicators

  • Warlta (hot, heat and warm)
  • Astronomical indicator is the Sun (Tirntu). The sun crosses coordinates on the northwest corner of Victoria Square in early January.
  • Piturru (thunder)
  • Karntu (lightning)
  • Pulturru (dry breeze)

Plant and animal indicators

  • Kangaroo chief supply of food
  • Yabbies come out of the mud

Seasonal lifestyle

  • A conference for all the nations to exchange knowledge and trade
  • Controlled, low burning of fires lit in foothills
  • Grey Teal fly north if the Murray Darling Basin floods

Parnati – Autumn

Parnati occurs approximately April to June

Indicators

  • Parna (a star on the lower left side of the moon) partinthi (sparkles)
  • Pukarra (north/west wind)
  • Cold mornings with kudmu (fog/dew) on the ground
  • Highest rainfall causing kuntu and yartala (flooding), restricting movement
  • Waadlawarnka (fallen tree)

Plant and animal indicators

  • Mullet is netted in shallows during high tides
  • Small stone fruits are eaten
  • Roots, possums, kangaroos, wallabies and bandicoots are caught and eaten
  • Wild tobacco leaves/flowers are chewed
  • Roots, yams, wild cabbage and seeds are eaten
  • Yellowfin whiting, mulloway, salmon trout are found in estuaries
  • Reed beds turn to boggy swamp and birdlife is plentiful

Seasonal lifestyle

  • Wattle gum is used to cut canoes and make shelters
  • Movement is made inland towards foothill shelters built from fallen limbs
  • Skin rugs and seaweed cloaks are made for Kudlila (winter)

Kudlila – Winter

Kudlila occurs approximately July to September

Indicators

  • Kudlinthi (to wash) – winter is when the earth is washed
  • Wartapukkara (north/west wind, tempestuous weather)

Plant and animal indicators

  • Vegetables and grubs are mainly eaten
  • Bloodworms are in the mud
  • Ducks and water birds are nesting

Seasonal lifestyle

  • Grubs collected from west sclerophyll scrub covering Mount Lofty Ranges
  • Gum from Acacia trees are collected for eating

Wirltuti – Spring

Wirltuti occurs approximately October to December

Indicators

  • The Southern Cross in Kaurna culture is referred to as wirltu (eagle's foot or eagle). Wirltuti is indicated by the position of the Southern Cross in October
  • Mild warm temperatures
  • Purta (to burn and blaze or rage like a storm) refers to the seasonal winds
  • Warri (wind), piturru (thunder) and karntu (lightning)

Plant and animal indicators

  • Eggs of young birds are eaten by lizards
  • Blue crabs and garfish are abundant in shallows
  • Shellfish and crustaceans are collected
  • The heart of grass trees are eaten raw
  • Yabbies come out of the mud
  • Tiger, Brown and Black snakes and lizards come out of hibernation

Seasonal lifestyle

  • Head back towards the coast
  • Move over plains to reed beds behind dunes
  • Cure skins

Acknowledgement

Thank you to the South Australian Museum for providing the image of well-known Kaurna Elder Ivaritji – seen within the Kaurna Seasonal Calendar Wheel wrapped in possum skin. The photo was taken in 1928.

Thank you to the Art Gallery of South Australia for providing the images of the paintings inside the Kaurna Seasonal Calendar Wheel. The four images have been cropped.

J. W. Giles, lithographer, detail: Rapid Bay, encampment of Yankallilla blacks plate 39 from 'South Australia Illustrated', 667G73.

J. W. Giles, lithographer, detail: Coast scene near Rapid Bay, sunset. Natives fishing with nets plate 21 from 'South Australia Illustrated', 455G17.

Martha Berkeley, detail: Mount Lofty from The Terrace, Adelaide, 0.851.

Alexander Schramm, An Aboriginal encampment, near the Adelaide foothills, 761HP1.

Permission to use the Kaurna seasonal calendar and related information in the Indigenous weather knowledge pages is given by the Elders/Directors of Kaurna.

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