Yawuru seasonal calendar
Man-gala – wet season
Summer: December to March
Monsoonal weather, strong winds.
Lifestyle of the Yawuru communities during Man-gala
The wet season is when the strong north-west wind brings the rains in from the sea. Man-gala occurs approximately during December to March. The length of the season depends on the beginning and end of the 'wet'.
People would take cover in the shelters constructed during Laja. Ropes made from Pindan Wattle would hold down the huts during squalls and cyclones.
Flies and many other insects are everywhere during this time.
The Cocky Apple and Wild Pear are now ready to eat. Yams are also plentiful and can be cooked and eaten.
Barn Swallows and ducks arrive during this time and build nests. There are many flying foxes during this time. They fly each evening from the mangroves to the fruiting trees. Snakes are in abundance and the grass is growing rapidly with the rainfall. Be careful of snakes when walking through the grass. There are many lizards out hunting the abundance of frogs. Lizards are thin and tended to be eaten later in the year when they fatten up.
Stingrays are still plentiful. Turtles have moved away, however, their egg clutches can still be collected.
Marrul – hot season
Crested Pigeon are spotted during Marrul
Late summer: April
High tides and hot weather.
Lifestyle of the Yawuru communities during Marrul
Marrul is the hot period after the wet season, when the wind is still. It occurs approximately in April.
Marrul is the shortest of the seasons. It begins with the budding of the Inland Bloodwood, and continues until the south-east winds start to blow.
Marrul is a time when there is hunting on land. Lizards are getting fat and so are easier to catch and provide a plentiful food source. There are many birds around at this time, including the Bar-shouldered Dove, Crested Pigeon and Red-winged Parrot.
The tides are very high during this period and the sea foods, such as stingrays, are small.
The Sandpaper Fig and the Wild Prune are fruiting. The latter is eaten by the flying foxes. Also in fruit is the Gundurung, a mangrove.
Wirralburu – dry season
Autumn: May
No rain, with cool nights and hot days.
Lifestyle of the Yawuru communities during Wirralburu
Wirralburu is a cooling time and the beginning of the strengthening south-east winds. It is a very dry period, with no rain. The days are still hot, but there is a cooling and the nights are pleasant.
The flowering of the Inland Bloodwood indicates the arrival of this season. Many of the acacias begin to flower including the Soap Tree and Pindan Wattle. The bush onion bulb can now be eaten.
The lizards are fat and heading underground to hibernate. The kangaroo and Agile Wallaby are a food source, as are the Crested Pigeon and the honeyeaters.
Barrgana – cold season
Winter: June to August
Some fog with dry winds.
Lifestyle of the Yawuru communities during Barrgana
Barrgana is the season of cold days and nights. It's usually dry but winter rain can fall. Fog also occurs at this time, particularly at the beginning and end of the season. The dry wind blows strong from the south-east, off the desert, and can bring dust storms.
There's lots of seafood, so fish traps are used to catch the now fat salmon and mullet. Dugongs are also hunted.
On land, the possums, echidna, wild cat, wallaby and kangaroo are all fat. Bunung and conkerberry are in fruit and there are many bush onion bulbs to eat.
Wirlburu – warming season
In Wirlburu, cockatoos have chicks that are easy to catch
Spring: September
The country is warming up.
Lifestyle of the Yawuru communities during Wirlburu
The transition period from cool to hot season occurs in September, and the westerly wind starts to blow. Both days and nights are hotter. It's dry time but clouds begin to appear. Dust storms may still occur.
There are many Mudskippers and Mud Creepers around during Wirlburu. They're good bait for catching the abundant reef fish, such as Sea Perch, Bluebones, Rock Cod and different varieties of snapper and bream. Also fat are varieties of shellfish such as Mud Cockles, Pearl Meat, Mud Cockles and Mangrove Crabs.
On land, it's a good time for catching turkey and collecting their eggs. It's also a good time for collecting the eggs of other birds such as the different snipes. Cockatoos have chicks that are easily caught.
The acacia pods dry out and the wild pear is beginning to flower. Bush onions are dried out and inedible.
Laja – hot season
Summer: September to November
Very hot ground, some inconsistent rain.
Lifestyle of the Yawuru communities during Laja
Laja is the hot time and build up to the wet season from October to November, when the days are very warm and the humidity is high. The first rains indicate the end of Laja.
Seed pods of the various acacias – including Soap Tree and Pindan Wattle – split open. The Wild Pear and Cocky Apple are bearing fruit but it's not ripe yet. The White Gum Trees are flowering and attract the Honey Fly. The Honey Fly makes honey nests in the Jigily Tree and Inland Bloodwood, which is collected and eaten.
Wood and bark from the Paperbark is collected for shelters in preparation for the wet. Many plants begin to flower, including the Mistletoe and Billygoat Plum.
Many turtles are mating and laying their eggs on the beaches, such as the Green Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle, Flatback Turtle and Hawksbill Turtle. Laja is the time of many stingrays: the Shovelnose, Cowtail and Coachwhip stingrays are all good, nutritious eating.
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