The series, which airs from Monday 30 May 2022 on ABC ME, provides an opportunity to learn about Indigenous seasonal knowledge by taking a virtual visit on Country and hearing from Elders and school children as they walk the audience through their seasons.
The show is based on Indigenous seasonal calendars that have been produced by senior Aboriginal knowledge holders, with support from CSIRO. Each of the four episodes highlight the diverse and unique knowledge held by different Aboriginal language groups across the Top End of Australia.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia’s First Scientists, have always held a deep understanding of their seasons.
Over tens of thousands of years, their observations of the environment have lead to a highly detailed understanding of the interactions between plants, animals, water, weather, fire and even the stars. These inform Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of which seasonal foods are ready for harvesting, when different animals are breeding, and what land and sea management actions should take place at any given time.
More about the series
The ABC and CSIRO worked with Elders and local schools in the Tiwi Islands (Northern Territory), Daly River (Nauiyu, NT), Kunbarlanja (Gunbalanya) in western Arnhem Land (NT), and in the Fitzroy Valley (Western Australia) to create engaging films about the seasons observed there. The series also explores activities that are undertaken by communities on Country, in line with their seasonal knowledge.
Filming occurred in 2021, after delays and rescheduling due to COVID-19. The episode created with Milikapiti School (Tiwi Islands) has not yet been released due to the sad passing of an Elder who features in the film.
The seasonal calendars featured in the series include calendars from:
- Ngan’gi (Nauiyu, Daly River, NT)
- Gunbalanya (NT)
- Gooniyandi (WA)
- Walmajarri (WA) and
- Tiwi (NT)
The calendars are available for download on CSIRO’s website and are protected by terms and conditions on their use. This is to protect the Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) of the Indigenous knowledge holders and contributors.
This ICIP is expressed in the language names, stories, knowledge about plants, animals and seasonal connections, as well as the seasonal visual representation in the calendar. To access the calendars, you must agree with the ICIP terms and conditions.
The series is available now, on ABC iView.
