The First Peoples of the Eastern Kulin Nation, which includes the Wurundjeri woiwurrung people, the Traditional Owners of this land, measure change with an annual cycle of seasons marked by changes in the land, animals, water and sky. There are seven annual seasons and two non-annual seasons, fire and flood, which occur on average every 7 and 28 years.  

garrawang (Kangaroo Apple season) is December when the weather is very changeable and there are lots of summer storms. Goannas are active, bunjil (wedge-tailed eagles) are breeding, and there is fruit on the kangaroo apple bushes. The days are long with short nights.  

biderap (Dry season) is January and February, with hot, dry weather and low rainfall. The female common brown butterfly is seen flying around and the bowat (tussock grass) is high and dry. During this season, the Southern Cross constellation is in the south at sunrise. 

woiwurrung translations by Wurundjeri woman Brooke Wandin. 

IMAGE:

Stephen N

Wurundjeri people

Creation, 2020

acrylic on canvas

50 x 75 cm

This artwork was created through The Torch, a not-for-profit organisation that provides art, cultural and arts industry support to First Nations people currently in, or recently released, from Victorian prisons.

ARTWORK STORY:

Our Dreaming tells us that Bunjil the great eagle created Kulin (men) from the land and his brother Balliyang the bat, created Baggarrook (women) from the water.