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Noongar Six Seasons
Aboriginal seasons guided by the land
Unlike the European calendar, there are six Noongar seasons in Western Australia’s South West region, which are indicated by changes in local plants and animals. Learn how to pick the change of seasons with this handy guide.
Traditionally Noongar people hunted and gathered food according to the seasons, being guided by the signs in nature as to which animal and plant resources were plentiful at those times.
Locally there are 6 seasons starting December and about 2 months each.
Bunuru (February - March)
The Noongar Season ‘Bunuru’ is represented by the colour orange and is the hottest time of the year.
Bunuru is the hottest time of the year with little to no rain. Hot easterly winds continue with a cooling sea breeze most afternoons – if you're close to the coast.
Traditionally this was, and still is, a great time for living and fishing by the coast, rivers and estuaries. Because of this, freshwater foods and seafood made up major parts of the Noongar people’s diet during Bunuru.
Bunuru is also a time of the white flowers with lots of white flowering gums in full bloom, including jarrah, marri and ghost gums.
Another striking flower to look out for is the female zamia (Macrozamia riedlei). Being much larger than its male counterpart, the huge cones emerge from the centre of the plant with masses of a cotton wool like substance.
As the hot and dry weather continues, the seed cones change from green to bright red, indicating they're ripening and becoming more attractive to animals, particularly the emu, that will eat the toxic fleshy outer layer.
More information is available at:
http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/nyoongar/index.shtml
https://www.ecu.edu.au/centres/kurongkurl-katitjin/cultural-ambassador-program/nyoongar-six-seasons

Karnup, WA 6176
Australia