Six Seasons

Nyungar were not seafaring people but used all the resources of the coast, the coastal plain and waterways, and the scarp. 

In the warmer months they gathered and hunted plants and animals from the coast and coastal lakes and waterways. In the colder months they retreated from the coast to the hills for shelter. 

Birak (December and January)

The First Summer. Season of the Young. Reptiles emerge from hibernation.

Hot and dry with easterly winds blow during the day and south-west sea breezes in the afternoon. Banskia flowers were gathered for the honey. A sweet party mead called Mangite was made by steeping Poolgaria flowers (Bull Banksia, Banksia grandis) in water till they fermented. The sweet, salty fruit of the Bain (pigface, Carpobrotus viriscens) were collected. Nyungar people burnt sections of scrubland up until Bunuru. The fires reduced undergrowth and encouraged the lush growth of grasses and young plants in Djilba. The fires also forced Yonga (kangaroo), karda (goanna) and small marsupials into the open where they could be hunted. As summer advanced Nyungars gathered in greater numbers.

Bunuru (February and March)

The Second Summer. Season of Adolescence. Children learn the art of tool-making.

The region experiences hot northerly winds and a shortage of fresh water. During this season, the fruits of the Jeeriji (zamia, Macrozamia rie dlei) were collected and the toxin removed. Wattle seeds, banksia blossoms and various roots were collected. The succulent fruits of the epiphyte Nyilla nyilla (Mistletoe, Lysiana casuarinae) were eaten. The bulbs of the Born or Mardja (bloodroot, Haemodorum spicatum) were collected and roasted for use as a spice. A sweet drink was made by pulling the blossoms off flowering gum trees, steeping them in water, and drinking the water. Tailor and Kalkarda (sea mullet) were trapped or speared in shallow water. Marron, Gilgies, Gooya (burrowing frogs) and Buyi (tortoises) were collected from wetlands. Climbing trees for Coomal (brushtail possums) took place. In late summer and autumn of each year, families would traditionally get together in large numbers around freshwater sources along the coast, to hold their annual meetings and gatherings.

Djeran (April and May)

The Autumn. Season of Adulthood. Time of marriages and courtship ceremonies.

The weather cools and winds swing around to the southwest. Bulbs and seeds were collected for food. Yanjidi, an edible root of a species of flag (Typha angustifolia) growing along fresh water streams and banks of pools, is in season in April and May. The broad leaves will have been burned by the summer fires which improve the taste of the root.

Fishing of the estuaries and other waters continued. Group fishing in inland lakes and at weirs took place.

Makuru (June and July)

The First Rains. Fertility Season. Time to travel to inland hunting areas.

People would shelter up in the forests in the ranges and escarpments away from the fierce winter storms coming up off the southern ocean. Nyungars moved to inland forests and hunting areas once the rains had replenished inland water resources. Tuberous plants (Tribonanthes sp) were collected. Kuljak (swans) began moulting making them unable to fly and easy to catch.

By holding a smouldering Poolgarla branch (bull banksia, Banksia grandis) beneath their Bookas (Yonga skin cloaks), Nyungars were able to keep warm.

Djilba (August and September)

The Second Rains. Season of Conception. Rains fill lakes and waterholes.

The weather starts to become warmer again.

Meen and djakat (roots) were collected.

Weitch (emus), Quenda, Coomal (possums) and Yonga (kangaroos) were hunted.

Kambarang (October to November)

The Wildflower Season. Feasting on Mamang.

The weather continues to warm up. Nyungar moved down onto the coastal wetlands to feast on estuarine fish, the birds that flocked there during the nesting season, and the birds' eggs. The Nyungars preferred young birds, chiefly parrots but also hawks, ducks, swans and pigeons. Gilgie (freshwater crayfish) were caught. The Moodjar (Christmas tree, Nuytsia floribunda) provided sweet gum when the bark was removed. The heath (Astroloma sp) and Quandong (Santalum acumiatum) were in fruit, and the yams of the Warrine (Dioscorea hastifolia) were also collected. The juicy tubers of Djubak (orchids) were collected and eaten raw or roasted. The small red berries of the Djuk (broom ballart, Exocarpos sparteus) were ripe and tasty throughout much of the hot weather.

This time of year Mamang (whales) migrate south down the coast. If a whale beached, several groups would gather together for a week-long celebration, roasting the meat or eating it raw, and rubbing themselves with the whale blubber.

Yarns and stories

Traditional owner the late Fred Collard describes how Nyungar move around with the seasons.

They used to do their annual little trip, they used to go around to all the different towns, moving around with the seasons in the early days. Visiting the different little towns, moving around with the season and the season was all about where the food line was, not about walkabout. But mostly following the food line. Wedjelas misinterpreted that; they say Nyungars went walkabout and I used to say no, they gone about looking for food and following the seasons.¹

The late Joe Walley, traditional owner of the Pindjarup region, talks about bidi (trails), food and seasonal travel.

That road is Mulga Drive and it takes you through all the swamps. The first little swamp is known as Black Swan Lake, no, I’m not sure. Maybe Joondalup Lake, starting off to what is known now as Pagononi’s Swamp further over. A spring is there where they stopped and got their water, caught their turtles and continued on from there to Black Swamp, near Pagononi Place. This is heading north going towards Fremantle from Pinjarra and then they went to Pagononi’s Lake. There is a graveyard there, back onto Pagononi’s Swamp Road. The first two Aboriginals were buried there many years ago. I don’t know if it had anything to do with the conflicts with Thomas Peel. He used to live a half a mile west of these graves.

These Nyungars who travelled that way through to Hansley Swamp followed through into Warriup Swamp. They kept to the east side of those swamps while they travelled north. They travelled through there, although they had to split up once they passed Hansley Swamp. They went through the other side, west to Rockingham and around. Some of them went the other way, because of the different times of the season. Some went back inland. There is a swamp there where the kangaroos came into the Medina/Kwinana area. They travelled right through Murdoch into Fremantle and back to the crossing.The other lot, they go back to Pinjarra again.

Their travel depends on the seasonal times and what foods they could get. They travel east to the hillside, going to Serpentine. When these Nyungars reached Serpentine, they crossed the river there, then came back into the sand hills and to Medina again, around Dog Hill and back again. Going through there was a very, very special place, through the sand, and the big swamp there, now go around Thompson Lake; on the south side of Thompson Lake. I think if you went there, you will find a big camping place right on the south side of Thompson Lake.²

Listen to a story below about seasonal indictors, narrrated by Trevor Walley.

Nyungar words used on this page

1. Collard, F. Oral transcript, unpublished.
2. “Nidja Beeliar Boodjar Noonookurt Nyininy.”
3. Bennell, B. Life according to the six seasons. In, Aboriginal Culture Values, Technical Report 6. Southwest Catchment Council, pp. 12-14. Undated.
4. Daw, B., Walley, T. & Keighery, G. Bush Tucker Plants of the South West. WA Department of Conservation and Land Management.