Indigenous Meteorology

Modern meteorology is said to have been founded with the invention of the thermometer and the barometer and therefore the ability to measure temperature and pressure scientifically and accurately.

However, Australian meteorologists are now turning to the knowledge of the indigenous Aborigines to develop their understanding of their climate and weather systems.

Aboriginal knowledge of the local weather and climate has accumulated over what has probably been over 18,000 generations of observation and experience. Aboriginal people live within well-defined territories, so the knowledge they have built up is very specific.

As, probably, the oldest people in the world, indigenous Australians have developed their own seasonal calendars based on nature's signposts, such as the flowering of plants and migration of birds and animals.

When British settlers arrived, they brought their own four season calendar. However, depending on the areas, Aborigines observe anything between two and six seasons.

The Aboriginal view
Aboriginal culture sees all things past and present as related, including the weather, landscape and previous generations, with the plant and animal kingdoms. They see everything as falling on a continuum, where it has an order, meaning and relevance.

The Wardaman people know that when the Berndeny or 'bush sugar cane' is succulent and juicy it signifies the end of the wet season, while the leaves of the Gayalarrin, the tubers of which are eaten, are only visible at the end of the wet season. The appearance of March flies in September or October signifies the end of the dry season.

The Walabunnba calendar
The Walabunnba people live approximately 300km north of Alice Springs, in the Northern Territory. They observe two seasons: Wantangka (hot weather) and Yurluurrp (cold weather).

The Walabunnba notice changes in animal and plant life to signify the changing seasons. For example, during Wantangka, it gradually gets hotter and the Walabunnba know when to be ready for high temperatures, bush fires and rains. They listen for the call of the Mirrlarr (rain bird) who signifies the approach of a big storm.

The Yanyuwa calendar
The Yanyuwa live in the Gulf of Carpentaria and observe five seasons: Wunthurru (early storm period), Lhabayi (wet season 'proper'), Rra-mardu (dry season), Ngardaru (hot weather time) and Na-yinarramba (pre-wet humid build up).

Rra-mardu has also seen more recent season-specific behaviour - a boom in European tourism when the weather is more pleasant. One of the Yanyuwa notes "when storm come now they all (go) back to their country".

The project
The Indigenous Weather Knowledge project is being co-ordinated by the government run Australian Bureau of Meteorology. Although in its early stages of development it is already providing detailed information on the complexity and diversity of the weather and climate of Australia.