Post on 04-Sep-2020
Tiwi ecological knowledge: Bernard Tipoloura, John Wilson, Lynette Johnson, Jacinta Tipungwuti, Eunice Orsto, and Judy Puruntatameri. Puruntatameri, J. et al (2001) Tiwi Plants and Animals: Aboriginal fl ora and fauna knowledge from
Bathurst and Melville Islands, northern Australia. Parks and Wildlife Commission of the NT and Tiwi Land Council. Darwin
Images: Peter Eve, Jeremy Cresswell, Barbara McKaige , Keith McGuinness, Greg Miles, Nic Smith, Craig Nieminski, Tourism NT, Carla Hicks and Ian Morris
Compilation and Production: Barbara McKaige CSIRO (2014) Design and Layout: First Class in Graphic Design
© Copyright is owned by the Tiwi Land Council and CSIRO. This publication cannot be reproduced without consent. CSIRO Darwin: phone 08 8944 8400, Tiwi Land Council: phone 08 8970 9373
TIWI ISLAN
DS –
NO
RTH
ERN T
ERR
ITO
RY–
AU
ST
RA
LIA
Tiw
i Sea
sons Jamutakari The wet season Kum
unupunari The dry season of fi re and smoke
T
iyar
i
The
sea
son
of h
ot w
eath
er a
nd h
igh
hum
idity
JANUJU
Kurlama ceremonies are held now
. These ceremonies centre around kurlam
a (Dioscorea bulbifera), a yam
Tawutaw
ungari Season of the clap sticks
that is prepared, baked and eaten only at this time. Jankinaki (Brahm
iny Kite) is im
itated durin
g the
Kurlama ceremony, with dancers painting them
se
lves white and ochre w
ith feathers for decoration
.
end of J am
utakari.
mangroves tell us that a storm or cyclone is coming.
Marrakatari
The tall grasses M
arakati
Japarrika (Greater and
plumosu
m) p
roduce dark
near the shore or
brown
seed h
eads at the
roosting in the
(Sorghum
intrans an
d Sorghum
Lesser Frigatebirds)
The fi rst d
ry win
ds
south
-east and
tall grass, an
d dry u
p
blow in
from th
e
fl atten th
e
a lot of su
rface w
ater.
Thun
der s
torm
s bu
ild a
t this
time b
ut there
is lit
tle ra
in. It is hot and humid.
Ther
e ar
e of
ten
clou
dy sk
ies,
Rakungumpara
and even black clouds, Turniyuwa.
Cold weather in the middle of Kumunupari, the dry season, is signalled by the fl owering of Wurritjinga
(Corymbia confertifl ora).
Towards the end of Jam
utakari, th
e wet season
, many trees and shrubs fl ow
er and fruit.
Wu
rrijingari
Season of the fl owers
Season w
hen
tall grass fl owers
The wind later in Kumunupari, the dry season, causes your skin
to b
ecom
e dr
y an
d fl a
ky.
Pumutingari Season of the w
ind that fl
akes s
kin
Season of coldYirriwinari & Munuputari
Season of th
e kn
ock-e m-dow
ns
Wurringaw
unariW
urringawunari
Yart
upw
ari S
easo
n of
the
dry
cre
ek b
ed
Wat
erho
les
and
cree
k be
ds d
ry u
p.
The
grou
nd
is v
ery
hot
an
d th
e so
les
of y
our f
eet
beco
me
hot
Mili
kito
rin
ari S
easo
n of
hot
feet
When W
urrungilaka (Corymbia nesophlia)
wh
en y
ou w
alk.
Foo
d g
ath
erin
g ta
kes
plac
e in
the
man
grov
es
and
jun
gle
patc
hes
, in
stea
d of
th
e dr
y pl
ains
and
woo
dlan
ds.
Pum
wan
yingari
Season of thunder
Wor
ms a
re easy
to fi n
d and are sweet and fi lling.
Kuru
kura
ri Seaso
n of the mangrove worm
muddy footprints on the
trunk of the tree.
This makes possum
hunting easier.
Mumpikari Season
When the fi rst rains fall the
from foraging on the ground
at night and leave tell-tale possums return to their trees of muddy possum tracks
day and the swamps, creeks and rivers are full. Wunijaka, the north-west wind blows and brings rain. There is much lightning, Pumurali, and thunder with the rain.
During Jamutakari rain, Pakitiringa, falls every
Mum
a (Torres Strait Pigeons) leave the Tiw
i Islands at the end of Jam
atakari after feasting on
the red fru
it of Jora (Carpentaria acum
inata).
Kimirrakinari Season of fi re
Dry grass is burnt.
in th
e fr
esh
wat
er a
reas i
s w
orm
) has
egg
s and
swee
t and
edi
ble.
The
is n
ot e
aten
at t
his
tim
e of
the
year
.
salt
wat
er Y
urw
urli
Whe
n M
inta
(Cyc
as a
rmst
rongii)
top
it in
dica
tes
that
Wak
atapa
(che
eky
Man
grov
e w
orm)
(sw
eet M
angr
ove
has
oran
ge s
eeds
aro
und the
When Mapulinka (Em
erald
Dove) calls from the jungles
the Kurlama yam
s are fat
and ready to eat.
are full of Dalyngini
(honey). miniata) fl owers tell
us that the beehives
Timirraringa (Eucalyptus
When Alarpiningwani
seaso
n will b
egin soon.
(Com
mon Koel) c
alls the wet
Marakati (Spear grass) ti
me
of y
ear m
akin
g it
Wat
er h
oles
dry
up
at th
is
seed heads tell us ea
sier
to
hu
nt Ju
rriy
i
Kurumpuka
(Wh
istl
ing
Duc
k),
(crabs) have soft M
ayim
ampi
(M
agpi
e G
eese
) an
d Ti
rrin
tirr
i (B
urd
ekin
D
uck
).
shells and are
full of meat.
contortum) signal that
Martapani (Crested Tern)
eggs have been laid on
the islands and are
ready to be collected.
The fl owers of Jarrikarli (Acacia
latescens) and Wupunga
(Pseudopogonatherum
auriculiformis and Acacia
trees are fl owering Wuninga (Brushtail
Possums) are fattest as they eat
the fl owers and buds.
Kumwari Season of fogTemperatures are low and fogs develop in the mornings.
fl owers
tell u
s that
Kirl
uwar
ring
a
(Stingra
ys) are
fat a
nd re
ady
for
hunting a
nd ea
ting.
Punkaringa (M
elal
euca
spe
cies
)