Yugambeh Seasons

Yugambeh Season’s  - ‘discover Guwany – the approaching season’

Julala wayjang—following the ‘Mother emu’ and ‘Old man kangaroo’ constellations

The Yugambeh language region has six seasons:

Burugu, Guwangbil, Gahgil, Waringbil, Ngirigawah and Nyanggal.

The Yugambeh know the signs of guwany—the approaching season. When the first fold winds blow and Jirun (The Seven Sisters constellation) appears in the Juwi (East), the Yugambeh know Waringbil is approaching. The flowering of the five-veined melaleuca and the clustering of waringihn (processionary caterpillars), whose procession between trees mirrors the schooling of goyung (mullet), means it’s time to fish and await the arrival of inland clans to the coast, and Waringbil has arrived.

December—Burugu—humid

Warm and wet—days heating p and the humidity rises.

Numin (walking stick palm) and Jidji (blue lillypilly) ripe to harvest. Jalagan (lemon myrtle) in flower. Nyuhil (piglace) fruit ripe on coast. Wild hopbush in flower. Ribery in flower. Gumbura (macadamia nut) ripe for harvest.

Ginyinggar (oysters) fat. Borobi (koalas) breeding. Guwan (possums) fat. Munjuru (mosquito) along the coast. Gubong (green treefrog) announces the arrival of humidity and rains.

Coastal clans move inland to Numinbah. Burih Yuwana (fire corroboree)—collect wood to build a big fire (without burning the land).

 February—Guwangbil—heavy rain

Hot days and nights—late afternoon, early evening thunderstorms—light winds.

Stars: Mubi ban gahla (Vega heliacal rising)

Bulbil (pink bloodwood) trees flower. Malgum (wild raspberry) in flower. Jidji (blue lillypilly) in fruit.

Bilihn (bats), Guwan (possum) and Wangum (rainbow lorikeet) feed on bulbil and other flowers. Jaran (frogs) breeding.

Harvest honey. Refrain from eating kangaroo.

April—Gahgil—coming down/descending

Rain—sunny days followed by cooler nights.

Nguruny—Mother emu

Jidjiman (red lillypilly) in flower. Midjum berry ripe to harvest. Jambreen (finger limes) and sandpaper figs ripe to harvest.

Migratory birds leave—Jurugari (dollarbird), Direhng (channel-billed cuckoo) and Biyang-biyang (pallid cuckoo) leave.

Refrain from eating freshwater species. Collect mubi mupi (dusky moorhen) eggs—don’t hunt mubi mupi.

June—Waringbil—very cold

Cold winds arrive—clear skies and dry air—ocean starts to cool.

Stars: Jirun ban gahla (Plelades’ Seven Sisters star cluster rising); Garambay ban gahla (Aldebaran star rising); Mubi banahla (Vega cosmical setting); Bulayabru gaguhng ban gahla (Orion’s Belt stars rising); Duleh (South Cross stars); Wamginy garalbu (time for Guruman-kangaroo dance).

Five veined melaleuca trees flower Jidjiman (red lillypilly) ripe to harvest. Malgum (wild raspberry) and Gujin (Davidson’s plum) ripe to harvest.

Numerous Jalawang (pied currawong) indicate plenty of Burihgan (luderick – edible herbivorous fish) spawning at the river mouth. Goyung (mullet school). Waringihn (caterpillars) procession. Buneen (echidna) breeding. Nguruny (emu) nesting.

Travel from inland to coast. Fish for goyung (mullet) and burihgan (luderick). Collect nguruny (emu) eggs.

August—Ngirigawah—felt in the forehead

Northerly winds arrive–cold season ending.

Guruman—Old man kangaroo

Buygun (coastal wattle) in flower. Galun (blue quandong) and Daragan (native ginger) ripe to harvest. Jambreen (finger limes) in flower.

Migatory birds jurugari (dollarbird), biyang-biyang (pallid cuckoo) and direhng (channel-biled cuckoo) return. Debra-debra (plover), Nguruny (emu) nesting. Muni (kangaroo) and Buneen (echidna) fat.

Barahla jagun—burning country. Don’t eat Buneen (echidna).

October—Nyanggal—hot and sweaty

Days and nights are of equal length—dry season with warm nights—winds increase

Gambalam (silky oak), Jidji (blue lillypilly) and Gulanybil (tick tree) in flower. The stronger the Gulanybil aroma, the more ticks present in the area.

Bin gin (freshwater turtle), Jurun (freshwater eel) and Mulany (yabbies) fat.

Time to eat bin gin (freshwater turtle), jurrun (freshwater eel) and mulany (yabbies).