Pass it on.

Yesterday I participated in a workshop facilitated by the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency. Among other things, we discussed how one could expand their knowledge of indigenous culture.  Although I very actively participate in learning about Australia’s less mainstream history and join in various Indigenous festivals, it was obvious there was so much much more for me to learn.  So being a good cultural citizen, I would like to pass on something I learnt yesterday…

Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders recognize six seasons in Australia:

Kooyang - Season of eels – late January to late March

A parched landscape. Kooyang is the hottest and driest time of the year, the risk of bushfire (Pilarda) is high and streams dry up.

Gwangai Moronn - Season of honey bees – late March to June

Sunrises, bees and flocking birds. Gwangai moroon is when the country starts to cool down after the summer heat.

Chinnup - Season of cockatoos – June to late July

Cold, cockatoos and early wildflowers. Morning frosts, bleak and freezing winds make chinnup the coldest time of year.

Larneuk - Season of nesting birds – late July to late August

Larneuk is usually the wettest time of the year with rivers running high. It is a time of dramatic weather changes, with up to six season in one day.

Petyan - Season of wildflowers – late July to Late August

Wildlife and wildflowers. In petyan the bush bursts into life. The days are warmer, although the weather can still be stormy.

Ballambar - Season of butterflies – mid November to late January

With the onset of the summer heat, the land dries and the weather stabilizes during ballambar.

Now it's your turn to pass it on.

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