Phenology and Weather, Aboriginal style
Here's a link to a very interesting article from Reuters news service, published March 17th. http://asia.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNewsstoryID=2392191 And Now for the Weather, Aboriginal Style Mon March 17, 2003 09:52 AM ET By Michael Perry SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - When the bearded dragon lizard sits upright and points its head to the sky, it is going to rain the next day. If a flock of currawongs flies overhead, you have four hours to get the washing off the line. If the queen wattle blooms heavily, bull ants abandon their tree nests for mounds of dirt, or meat ants cover nests with tiny, heat-reflecting quartz stones, then bushfires are coming. etc Excerpts: Australia's Bureau of Meteorology draws upon Aboriginal weather knowledge... launches Indigenous Weather Knowledge... http://www.bom.gov.au/iwk/ Sydney's six-season Aboriginal calendar is based on the flowering of various native plants [details provided] Insightful observations on drought cycles + When you go to the Indigenous Weather Knowledge website and look around, you come across the Yanyuwa's five season calendar. I like these circular calendars showing when things occur at different times of the year, accompanied by related phenological events. http://sres.anu.edu.au/people/richard_baker/research/yanyuwa/trop_climate.html http://sres.anu.edu.au/people/richard_baker/research/yanyuwa/images/figure_02.gif Regards, Steve Diver
Re: Phenology and Weather, Aboriginal style
And Now for the Weather, Aboriginal Style Mon March 17, 2003 09:52 AM ET By Michael Perry SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - When the bearded dragon lizard sits upright and points its head to the sky, it is going to rain the next day. If a flock of currawongs flies overhead, you have four hours to get the washing off the line. Hi Steve and All I would take this stuff with a grain or two of salt - the lizard sits like that to warm himself - its his favourite posture - sitting on a sloping rock - as for the currawongs if you dont get the washing in pronto when you see these guys they will be back soon to poop all over it and steal the clothespegs! It might rain and it might not. The northern aboriginal stuff is nothing more or less than you would get from interviewing any stockman or knockabout bushie with some life experience in the territory - I guess I am always amused when educated dudes go out and discover things that most locals take as common knowledge, (and anything of aboriginal culture has a nice money tag on it these days) We all watch the ants - these little guys know a thing or two. Cheers Lloyd Charles
Re: Phenology and Weather, Aboriginal style
Lloyd - Still, I love this stuff and I'm glad to see the website to learn about Aboriginal knowledge. 50,000 years of sustainable living, that's going back in time. Phenology has many uses -- including pest control, organic farming cycles, and permaculture design -- so I've collected a lot of material on this topic. Phenology Web Links: (1) Sequence of Bloom, Floral Calendars, What's in Bloom; (2) Birds, Bees, Insects Weeds http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/phenology.html Here in the Ozarks, Spring bloom just started into full-action this last week: Early daffodils Creeping phlox Star magnolia Periwinkle ground cover Spring beauty Crocus I'd like to find software that makes those circular calendars with accompanying text, if anybody has ideas. These circular agricultural calendars help illustrate when you plant cover crops, till, apply BD preps, sow, cultivate for weeds, foliar feed, pinch buds, expect certain pests, harvest period, re-establish into cover crop, rotation sequence, etc. Best, Steve Diver Lloyd Charles wrote: And Now for the Weather, Aboriginal Style Mon March 17, 2003 09:52 AM ET By Michael Perry SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - When the bearded dragon lizard sits upright and points its head to the sky, it is going to rain the next day. If a flock of currawongs flies overhead, you have four hours to get the washing off the line. Hi Steve and All I would take this stuff with a grain or two of salt - the lizard sits like that to warm himself - its his favourite posture - sitting on a sloping rock - as for the currawongs if you dont get the washing in pronto when you see these guys they will be back soon to poop all over it and steal the clothespegs! It might rain and it might not. The northern aboriginal stuff is nothing more or less than you would get from interviewing any stockman or knockabout bushie with some life experience in the territory - I guess I am always amused when educated dudes go out and discover things that most locals take as common knowledge, (and anything of aboriginal culture has a nice money tag on it these days) We all watch the ants - these little guys know a thing or two. Cheers Lloyd Charles
Re: Phenology and Weather, Aboriginal style
Hi Steve, I am also fascinated by Aboriginal knowledge and wisdom. Thanks for highlighting the article and web sites. I also agree we must be aware of the commercialisation component but I think its wonderful that this information is finally being put together on the Web and made available to us modern folk. I have some notes on Aboriginal Astrology that I can send to you if you wish. Regards, Dom Steve Diver [EMAIL PROTECTED]@envirolink.org on 18/03/2003 08:59:29 Please respond to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent by:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To:[EMAIL PROTECTED] cc: Subject:Re: Phenology and Weather, Aboriginal style Lloyd - Still, I love this stuff and I'm glad to see the website to learn about Aboriginal knowledge. 50,000 years of sustainable living, that's going back in time. Phenology has many uses -- including pest control, organic farming cycles, and permaculture design -- so I've collected a lot of material on this topic. Phenology Web Links: (1) Sequence of Bloom, Floral Calendars, What's in Bloom; (2) Birds, Bees, Insects Weeds http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/phenology.html Here in the Ozarks, Spring bloom just started into full-action this last week: Early daffodils Creeping phlox Star magnolia Periwinkle ground cover Spring beauty Crocus I'd like to find software that makes those circular calendars with accompanying text, if anybody has ideas. These circular agricultural calendars help illustrate when you plant cover crops, till, apply BD preps, sow, cultivate for weeds, foliar feed, pinch buds, expect certain pests, harvest period, re-establish into cover crop, rotation sequence, etc. Best, Steve Diver Lloyd Charles wrote: And Now for the Weather, Aboriginal Style Mon March 17, 2003 09:52 AM ET By Michael Perry SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - When the bearded dragon lizard sits upright and points its head to the sky, it is going to rain the next day. If a flock of currawongs flies overhead, you have four hours to get the washing off the line. Hi Steve and All I would take this stuff with a grain or two of salt - the lizard sits like that to warm himself - its his favourite posture - sitting on a sloping rock - as for the currawongs if you dont get the washing in pronto when you see these guys they will be back soon to poop all over it and steal the clothespegs! It might rain and it might not. The northern aboriginal stuff is nothing more or less than you would get from interviewing any stockman or knockabout bushie with some life experience in the territory - I guess I am always amused when educated dudes go out and discover things that most locals take as common knowledge, (and anything of aboriginal culture has a nice money tag on it these days) We all watch the ants - these little guys know a thing or two. Cheers Lloyd Charles NOTICE - This message is intended only for the use of the addressee named above and may contain privileged and confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient of this message you are hereby notified that you must not disseminate, copy or take any action based upon it. If you received this message in error please notify HIC immediately. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be the views of HIC.
Re: Phenology and Weather, Aboriginal style
50,000 years of sustainable living, that's going back in time. Hi Steve and Dom I guess I just have a different opinion about what 5 years of indiscriminate use of the firestick has done to the vegetation of this continent. L Charles.
