Australian Wheel of the Year - Aboriginal Seasons

The diversity of our land shows us we must live and celebrate our differences. We are in a wonderful exciting phase of Australian Pagan History. We have access to the most incredible amount of information about the history and customs created by our Aboriginal forefathers. We must listen and learn from them. Simply swapping Northern Hemisphere traditions for Southern Hemisphere traditions in the Northern created Wheel of the Year is simply not enough. We are not England and we all experience the changing seasons very differently. Even the definition of Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter is not applicable to the incredible diverse ways our land changes through our cycle of the year. For example – Northern Tropical states of Australia experience their highest rainfall during their Summer months and in the Southern States of Australia, Summer months are hot and dry, described as Mediterranean.  Druids Down Under explain it as-

                By understanding the unique cycles of nature in our various localities in this vast and diverse land, by finding insight in the symbols and messages of the trees and animals, by learning about the history of the place we live in and the spirit of all those who have lived in and loved this place, we will come to find our own kind of Druidry, specific to who we are and where we are.

http://druidsdownunder.blogspot.com.au/

                Australian Magick in its creation was formed with the common passion for connecting to our own traditions, creating our very own ritual joy as we connect intrinsically to the elements, native flora and fauna and the amazing geography that surrounds us. We have watched Sabbat rituals that involve the blind following of traditions that have nothing to do with the land they are performed on. Performed inside as the weather outside may make people feel uncomfortable. We watch the changing cycles around us but do not include these in our personal rituals. The Wheel of the Year with its eightfold ritual calendar was created by Mid-20th century British Paganism.

While many historical pagan traditions celebrated various equinoxes, solstices, and even cross-quarter days for their seasonal and agricultural significances, none were known to have held all eight above all other annual, sacred times.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_of_the_Year)

                We try to honour the changing landscapes that surround us. We adorn our altars with the native flowers and branches we find in our gardens. We are constantly seeking more and more knowledge of the continuous cycles of native flora and fauna and its connections to the land.

The Aboriginal people have been living in Australia for at least 50,000 years and during this time have developed a unique method of living that has enabled survival to be maintained in sometimes incredibly adverse conditions.

A culture was developed in which all things past and present are interrelated, including the weather, landscape and previous generations, together with the plant and animal kingdoms.

All these are connected as a continuum in which everything is placed in a proper order and has distinct meaning g and relevance.

Climate and weather are vital parts of this continuum, and are largely controlled by supernatural forces which manifest themselves through the behaviour of the surrounding natural world.

http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/climate_culture/index.shtml

                As we look into creating a uniquely Australian Pagan Tradition, we must consider the ancient owners of this land and how they saw the various seasons, their ‘Wheel of the Year’. They do not see their connection to the land around them in the British based seasons of Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. Each and every state and territory in Australia has a very unique seasonal change and how we experience our connections to the changes in the land are very different. To show our wonderful diversity, below is a table showing the Seasonal Cycles from Around Australia which was created by Julie Mills from Druids Down Under –

Our country has the most incredible diverse climates and there are many different tribes that see the changes very differently.  In trying to translate these writings and oral traditions to our traditional Wheel of the Year, we have discovered diverse and wondrous accounts of how the various changes in the natural world were intrinsic in knowing what season lay ahead. In the Yarralin area of the Northern Territory, flying foxes moving from the inland bush to nest in the pandanus trees that line the rivers in the dry season is an indication that the rains are imminent.  In the Northeast Arnhem Land, there are only two occasions when the White breasted wood swallows and the Mudlarks are seen together. These two occasions are the start of the wet and the start of the dry seasons.

As Australian Magick and Pagans Australia are located in Victoria, we look to the knowledge of the Kulin nation. Aboriginals define their social structure in 3 distinct ways-

1.       physical or geographical

2.       the religious and totemic

3.       social

                There are approximately 30 tribes located in Victoria alone and the Kulin Nation consists of 5 common language groups.

When Europeans first settled, a single bloc of Kooris consisting of five language groups owned the entire Port Phillip region as far north as Euroa. The five groups all spoke a related language and were said to form a confederacy or nation, which the Kooris themselves called "Kulin" from their common word for a human being.

http://www.vu.edu.au/about-us/vision-mission/acknowledgement-of-country/the-kulin-nation

                The Kulin nation mark the change in their seasons by the various movements of the stars, the changes in the weather and the life cycles of the local flora and fauna.

                Below is a comparison of various Aboriginal seasons from around Australia with the European calendar as we know it-

		Aboriginal Seasons
Month	European Seasons	Minang SW WA Temperate	Arrernte Central Australia Desert	Gadgerong NW NT Monsoon Tropics	Tasmania NE TAS Cool Temperate
DEC	Summer	Beruc	Uterne	Bandenyirrin (cont)	Wegtellanyta
JAN				Mayurr
FEB		Meertilluc
MAR	Autumn
APR		Pourner	Alhwerrrpeurle	Nguag/Gagulong
MAY					Tunna
JUN	Winter	Mawkur	Alhwerrpa
JUL
AUG		Meerningal
SEP	Spring		Ulpulpe		Pawenya peena
OCT			Uterne urle	Bandenyirrin
NOV

http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/climate_culture/Indig_seasons.shtml

                As we look to creating our own unique Wheel of the Year, we must take into consideration the traditional owners of the land and how they lived, intrinsically connected to the land. We here at Australian Magick do not have a set belief system on how we practice our Paganism in Australia. To us, it is an eclectic blend of traditions and legends from far and wide as well as from our own land. We interpret and use our knowledge and learnings of symbolism and traditions into our own unique worship of this beautiful land we call home. We do not believe we have the final definition of ‘how rituals and worship must be done’. It comes from the heart. We seek the knowledge and use what resonates with us. We do not believe that ours is the only way Paganism can be practised in Australia. Call it the Great Mother, Yahweh, The Rainbow Serpent etc.  All paths lead to the same truth.

Bright blessings to all (0)

Australian Lammas (Lammas, First Harvest, Lughnasadh, Biderap: Dry Season. (Traditional Date 2nd February, Actual Date 4th February 2015)

Yellow Paper Daisy 

 Traditional (Northern) qualities - Masculine, fields are being emptied, abundance, feasting, celebration, corn doilies, apple cider, and berry pies.

Australian qualities - dry heat, bushfires, grass fires, monsoonal rains, flooding, regeneration from the bushfires, Southern Cross is high in the sky, school holidays have finished and work commences after the festivities of Christmas and new year’s, new plans are made for the year, new year’s resolutions begin to be implemented, letting go of the old and bringing in the new, summer bbqs, hot summer evenings, splashing in the ocean or our pools

Food - apricots, plums, berries, banana, grains, rice, oranges, grapes nectarines, pears or pineapple, capsicums, lettuce, beans, cucumber, tomato, zucchini, peas.
Ritual ideas – Fire meditation. Focus on the balance of the destructive, devastating nature of the bushfires and the blackness. We can see into the distance as great areas are levelled. The balance of death and life.
Colours – Orange, black, bright green, blue, brown, red, gold, brown, yellow
Fauna –

• Echidna - The magickal qualities of the echidna include protection, simplicity, pure balance with the harsh spines balanced with the soft underbelly which rests on the earth and connects to the Great Mother land. The long summer break from school and work protects us from the challenges of work. As we look forward to the New Year, we need support and guidance as we expose our fears to new experiences and journeys.
•  Snake - Symbol of fertility and growth. The Great Rainbow Serpent. As it sheds its skin, it transforms anew. Shows us the dry skin of the past is to be shed for the new beginnings.
• Turtle. Slow and steady. Conserve energy for renewal and surviving the harsh summers of Australia, accept the cycle of life and death, trust in the energy of the earth to show us that once we have faced the harshness of Summer, new cool growth can be achieved. The laying of the turtle’s eggs is a time honoured trusting in the Great Mother to nurture her eggs and hatch them when the conditions are ideal. The great journey has begun to the coolness and safety of the water. The water also contains the greatest amount of enemies and challenges. The great balance

Flora

Kangaroo Apple
(Image courtesy of Judith Sanderson)

• Bottle brush. The magnificence of the flame red flowers can be used to adorn our altars and represent the fires that surround us in a time of fire restrictions and bans. Red is the colour of blood as well as passion and fire. Death and rebirth. 
• Kangaroo Apple. The fruit ripens in late summer and shows us that there is life after the harshness of summer. The fruit is poisonous if eaten too early and is known to cause miscarriages. Patience is needed for new ideas to come to fruition. 
• Native Willow. The swaying slender leaves of the Native Willow can withstand the heat. They are drought tolerant and slow growing, once again showing us to stand strong and patient. A beautiful peppermint smell is released when the leaves are crushed. The heartwood (the older central wood part of the tree) is blonde with a characteristic patterned grain resembling snakeskin and can be used on the altars to represent the snake mentioned earlier. 
• Flannel flower. Delicate in appearance, it can survive even in the harshest of environments. A native to the Coastal region of Sydney. 
• Wollomi pine. 150 million years old. Was once extinct but recent efforts have resulted in an increasing interest and renewed love of this wonderful specimen. Ancient and known as the oldest living tree in the world, resilience and survival. As it is in the early stages ‘being reborn’, please respect it’s scarcity and honour its image.

Whatever name you understand this time of the year to be, to us here at Australian Magick we interpret it as the hot, dry bushfire times. It is summer! The school holidays have now finished, summer holidays are all over and we get back to “work”. We notice the Sun Lord growing old, becoming the Elder; as the crops are cut and gathered, so are the days of his life. He is weathered and beginning to weaken as we approach autumn. The plants of spring drop their fruits and seeds for us. The growing time has lessened and harvesting has begun and we give thanks for this bountiful harvest. Let’s make some bread from the crops that have just been harvested. We could also use this time of year to harvest ideas and contemplate the wishes and intentions we have set for the traditional “new year” we experienced a few weeks back.

Fire Ravaged Grampians, Victoria
             Image courtesy of Judith Sanderson                 

   
Aborigines would also light fires this time of year to regenerate the land and help prevent blazing bushfire by carefully controlled burning. This then created ash that would fertilize the ground and also enable small animals to be hunted and eaten. Allot of fruits and berries were on the menu for indigenous Australians during dry season as the storing of meat was very difficult with the heat and humidity. After the burning of the land there would be a burst of fertility, rain and the arrival of life…of energy. The new growth be strong and lush and the earth is clear of debris that could fuel a bushfire.

Perhaps the echidna can become our summer / dry season fauna. We have seen many an echidna roaming the country roads of Victoria during the summer. She is a representation of protection and self-preservation and reminds us to return to everyday life following the long summer break. She is there to support us in new or challenging situations. A loner, one of a kind, she protects herself and allows only those who she trusts to enter her space. She feels Mother Earth upon her belly as she walks and reminds us to let yourself move outside the boundaries supported by those who love and nurture you.

Gurley or Native Willow is a drought tolerant plant that is great for healing. Gurley symbolises the spirit of compassion, protection, empathy and tranquillity. They are a reminder of how important water is during this time of year for our harsh environment. With its edible seeds and peppermint aroma this tree is wonderful for the soul as we experience the humidity and heat of summer.

There are a few goddess that are associated with Lammas and summertime: Yemaya the African goddess of oceans, Demeter goddess of the harvest, Kali the destroyer and creator, Corn Mother representing maturity. Perhaps have a goddess picture on your altar to represent your goddess of choice.

History and magickal uses for the Araucaria Bidwillii (Bunya Pine Tree)

This tree is a large evergreen tree and was colloquially 
named the Bunya Pine by the Europeans. It is actually not a pine tree but belongs to the family of the Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana) and is also known as the ‘false monkey puzzle’. The scientific name honours the botanist John Carne Bidwill, who sent the first specimens to Sir William Hooker in 1843. The aborigines have various names for it including bunya, bonye, bunyi and bunya-bunya.

It is native to South East Queensland however can also be found in areas of NSW, WA and there just so happens to be a beautiful specimen growing in South Gippsland, Victoria. The Bunya Pine is the last surviving species of the Section Bunya of the genus Araucaria. This section was diverse and widespread during the Mesozoic with some species having cone morphology similar to A. bidwillii, which appeared during the Jurassic.

A. Bidwillii has a limited distribution within Australia because of the drying out of Australia with loss of rainforest and poor seed dispersal. The remaining sites at Mount Lewis in Queensland and the Bunya Mountains have genetic diversity.

The cones of the Bunya Pine are large, soft-shelled and nutritious and fall unbroken to the ground

beneath the tree before dehiscing. The suggestion that extinct large animals – perhaps dinosaurs and large mammals – may have been carriers for the Bunya is reasonable, given the seed size and energy content.

The Bunya tree grows to a height of 30–45 meters, the trunk often reaching widths of 1 – 1 ½ metres, and the cones (which contain the edible kernels) are the size of footballs. The ripe cones fall to the ground. Each segment contains a kernel in a tough protective shell, which will split when boiled or put in a fire. The flavour of the kernel is similar to a chestnut.

The Bunya trees pollinate in South East Queensland in September, October and the cones fall 17 to 18 months later in late January to early March from the coast to the current Bunya Mountains. When there is heavy rainfall or drought, pollination may vary. An important aspect of indigenous life was the Bunya Nut Festival. This festival was held in the land of the Jarowair tribe every 2 to 3 years or whenever the nuts were abundant. It is estimated that at least 14 different Aboriginal dialects would have been represented at the festival. The festival was important as it was a time for the tribes of Southern Queensland to conduct important business including:

• -      items, food, information and new knowledge were traded and shared;
• -      cultural, social and kinship obligations were observed and arranged;
• -      disputes and complaints were resolved;
• -      ceremonies were conducted and future events organised; and
• -      conduct initiation ceremonies and corroborees
• -      songs, stories and dances, were swapped between groups to be taken home to their own people
• -      feast on the bunya nuts.

Due to the massive size and age of these trees, they were considered sacred guardians of tribes and were seen as protective of the tribes. Seen as masculine in energies due to the elder status its size, growth pattern and amount of time it took for the fruit to ripen. It was considered an act of war if members of another tribe took fruit from another tribe’s tree without permission. The Aborigines’ fierce protection of the trees and recognition of the value of the timber, led to colonial authorities prohibiting settlers from cutting the trees in the 1842.

Indigenous Australians eat the nut of the bunya tree both raw and cooked (roasted, and in more recent times boiled), and also in its immature form. Traditionally, the nuts were additionally ground and made into a paste, which was eaten directly or cooked in hot coals to make bread. The nuts were also stored in the mud of running creeks, and eaten in a fermented state. This was considered a delicacy.  Apart from consuming the nuts, Indigenous Australians ate bunya shoots, and utilized the tree's bark as kindling.  Its most popular use is as a 'bush food'.

Bunya is a tree of great significance in Australian native culture.  Although there are no known medicinal uses of this tree; it is where one can enjoy the company of fellow man in festival, hunting, feasting and corroboree.  It is a divine place of spiritual significance where man can truly share with The Great Mother.

When looking at defining this specimen for magickal purposes, we look to the various distinctive physical characteristics as well the cultural significances mentioned earlier. We see the Bunya Nut Tree as being masculine and can be used (with permission) for majestic staffs, wands requiring masculine energy. Strength, resilience, patience, protection are other magickal aspects of this wondrous ancient Australian tree.