Teacher background information

This elaboration provides students with opportunities to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ understandings of seasons through the investigation of seasonal calendars pertaining to various cultural groups. These calendars reflect Australia’s varying climatic conditions, ecological diversity and expansive geographic locations inhabited by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. They include detailed understandings of recurring weather patterns and seasonal cycles. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities hold knowledge that links events in the natural world to cycles that are used in many facets of everyday life.

Many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups devised highly intricate and comprehensive seasonal calendars based on thousands of years of detailed observation of the environments of which they form an integral part. The gathering and dissemination of this scientific knowledge continues to enable many First Nations’ communities to make accurate predictions about recurring seasonal changes. 

While the seasonal calendar used in most Western societies is based on specific dates to mark each season, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples observe the position of stars in the sky and follow water, plant and animal cycles as ways of identifying seasonal phenomena. 

Seasons vary based on the relative positioning of the Earth and sun. According to the contemporary Western calendar, Australia’s summer occurs at the end of the year, because the Southern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun at that time. Days are longer and hotter during this time, as not only are more daylight hours spent facing the sun, but sunlight is also more direct as opposed to being on an angle. The opposite happens during the winter where the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun. During the spring and autumn, the Earth is not tilted towards or away from the sun but side-on. Despite this, the expanse of the Australian continent and range of latitudes make Australia’s climatic conditions extremely diverse.  

The seasonal calendars of discrete Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural groups demonstrate an understanding of the interdependence and interrelationships amongst living things. These calendars can be used to predict seasonal changes and weather patterns to determine the availability of particular resources or the timing of journeys. 

Seasonal calendars are not interchangeable throughout First Nations’ communities, but vary according to geographic location, ecological context and cultural interpretation. Specific biotic events, usually referred to as bio-indicators, can occur locally or over vast distances and enable accurate predictions of seasonal changes. For instance, in some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ seasonal calendars the appearance of particular insect species is an indication that the rainy/wet season is approaching, thus marking the correct time to commence the harvesting of yams.  

Also forming part of some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander seasonal calendars are observations of cyclical animal behavioural patterns. One example can be found in the seasonal calendar of the people of D'harawal Country regarding the cries of tiger quolls in search of mates. When this is heard, it is an indication that the lilly pilly fruit has started to ripen. Once the lilly pillys start to fall, it is a sign for the people of the D’harawal Country to begin their annual journey to the coast in search of other seasonal resources.  

Seasonal calendars continue to be used by many First Nations’ groups today. The publication of these calendars has revealed the immense scientific knowledge held by the respective communities and has informed Western scientific understandings across a wide range of disciplines, for example, botany, zoology, ecology, meteorology and many more. The publication of First Nations’ seasonal calendars in collaboration with scientific institutions throughout Australia is a good example of how First Nations’ extensive ecological science knowledge is gaining respect and awareness and has contributed to the dissemination of that knowledge amongst school communities and the general public. 

Through the investigation of calendars used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, students will gain an understanding of how seasonal cycles and weather changes are predicted by many First Nations’ groups. Students can also gain an in-depth awareness of how these Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups interpret and utilise ecological patterns and seasonal phenomena.