Today is the first day of spring, if you go according to the Gregorian calendar which says our Southern Hemisphere spring falls between September to November. It’s raining lightly as I write this, and the sky is grey but mostly clear with the odd cloud here and there. It has been getting warmer and this past week I have noticed that I have been able to shed one layer of clothing and go barefoot around the house quite comfortably.
Heard on the radio this morning that we’ve had the driest winter on record - 230ml of rain instead of the average 480. I suspect this means water restrictions ahead…
I remember reading some time ago that the Nyoongar people, the indigenous people of the Perth area saw the year in six distinct seasons, and Wikipedia’s just confirmed this:
Birak - December/January
Dry and hot
Burned sections of scrubland to force animals into the open for easier hunt.Bunuru - February/March
Hottest part of the year, with sparse rainfall throughout.
They moved to estuaries for fishing.Djeran - April/May
Cooler weather begins.
Fishing continued and bulbs and seeds were collected for food.Makuru - June/July
Cold fronts that have until now brushed the lower south west coast begin to cross further north. This is usually the wettest part of the year.
Moved inland to hunt once rains had replenished inland water resources.Djilba - August/September
Often the coldest part of the year, with clear, cold nights and days, or warmer, rainy and windy periods. As the nights begin to warm up there are more clear, sunny days.
Roots were collected and emus, possums and kangaroo were hunted.Kambarang - October/November
A definite warming trend is accompanied by longer dry periods and fewer cold fronts crossing the coast. The height of the wildflower season.
They moved towards the coast where frogs, tortoises and freshwater crayfish were caught.
The page I read on Nyoongar seasons back then gave a lot more detail on the flora and fauna the people encountered each season; it’s a pity I can’t find it at the moment. I guess we’re in Djilba now. I’m really looking forward to Birak! But then I always say this after Makuru. By the end of Birak I’ll be dreading Bunuru…
Photo by appelture.
