Indigenous weather knowledge complements modern science

04/12/2012

The Bureau of Meteorology has further expanded its knowledge of Australia’s weather and climate with the addition of a seasonal calendar, sharing the traditional knowledge of the Nyoongar people of southwest Western Australia.

Bureau of Meteorology Director, Dr Rob Vertessy, said the incorporation of indigenous weather knowledge into our understanding of weather and climate effectively provided us with a history dating back thousands of years, complementing more than a hundred years our own climate record.

“Through the Indigenous Weather Knowledge project, the Bureau is working with indigenous communities to provide access to valuable cultural information with the permission of a number of indigenous groups who have agreed to share their traditional knowledge, passed down over many generations.

“Today the Nyoongar people are welcomed as the newest member of the Indigenous Weather Knowledge project, sharing valuable cultural knowledge about our weather and climate, contributing to modern scientific methods,” said Dr Vertessy.

Edith Cowan University’s Cultural Awareness Officer, Mr Jason Barrow, has worked on Aboriginal cultural projects for more than 15 years, and was the key cultural advisor on the project. His experience has allowed him to pick up on the many subtle environmental changes that occur throughout the year, and the relationship this has with our weather.

“I thoroughly enjoy reading the country around me and being able to share what I see with others who are interested in learning about the country in which they live. If more people can tune into their surroundings, then we’ll start to appreciate what we have rather than continually looking to change it.

“It also makes the commute to and from work far more enjoyable when you actually ‘see’ the plants and animals going about their business, letting us know what sort weather we can expect at particular times of the year, or even giving us an insight into what’s in store for the weekend,” said Mr Barrow.

The Nyoongar seasons can be long or short and are indicated by what is happening and changing around us rather than by dates on a calendar. This six-season calendar is extremely important to Nyoongar people, as it is a guide to what nature is doing at every stage of the year, as well as understanding respect for the land in relation to plant and animal fertility cycles and land and animal preservation.