Indigenous Weather Knowledge

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Indigenous Weather Knowledge http//www.bom.gov.a
u/iwk First NWS to include IWK on the
homepage Article Seasonal calendars Will be
added to progressively Participation of
indigenous communities Feedback mechanism
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Substantial feedback - mostly positive
Stories run in the Sydney Morning Herald,
Australian and The Age. Picked up by CNN and
the BBC Google search on Indigenous Weather
produces many hits, national and
international. Have just visited this site and
cannot wait until it is extended. It's great
and should have been done years ago. The local
indigenous knowledge of an area is invaluable.
- Sharyn Absolutely brilliant.  What's the
chance of getting some of the communities
around our way (Kimberley) doing the same
thing. A huge pat on the back for the person or
persons involved.  Congratulations.    -
JC JC
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Seasonal Calendars
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Weather forecasting techniques Flying foxes
move from the inland bush to the rivers during
the dry season and nest in the pandanus palm
trees. When this happens the onset of rains is
imminent. In the dry season, the migratory
return of the brolga means that the river
catfish will again become active, which in
turn means that the river will soon fill with the
return of the rains. White breasted wood
swallows are only found together with mudlarks
for two short periods each year. These occasions
signal the beginnings of the wet and dry
seasons. The flowering of the rough barked gum
and the bunch spear grass is a sign that the
winds will soon blow from the south-east and the
Dry Season will arrive.
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When the bearded dragon lizard sits upright and
points its head to the sky, it will rain next
day. If a flock of currawongs fly overhead, rain
is imminent. If the queen wattle trees bloom
heavily, dry weather will continue and bushfires
are likely.
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Climate Descriptions Last Ice Age in
Australia arrived about 20,000 years ago
Lasted about 5000 years. The Bibbulum people
of the south-west Western Australia talk of a
far off time when it was not as warm and
congenial as it is today. Stories of this time
begin with "In the nyitting times..." which
translated means "In the icy cold times of
long, long ago....".
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Hector is a large thunderstorm that occurs most
days during SH summer over Bathurst and
Melville Islands.
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Complementary knowledge 1996 research into
Hector on Tiwi Islands Most powerful
Hector not accounted for in simulations
Local advice - when high tide occurs around
noon Sea breezes stronger in this
situation Sea breezes help initiate
Hector The simulations did produce more
powerful Hectors with this input
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Other Indigenous Weather Knowledge -
Zimbabwe Just before rains one expected the
muonde and musasa trees to sprout new
leaves. Quelea (machesa) birds nests on trees
along the river banks indicate the level of
river flooding by hanging their nests either on
the lower or higher level. If the nests are low
it indicates that the rivers will not flood
hence low rainfall. The higher level of the
nests signals flooding of the rivers to mark
higher rainfall. The amount of water dropping
from the Mupanda tree in spring determines the
amount of forth coming rains.
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Other Indigenous Weather Knowledge -
Bangladesh Tropical Cyclone prediction Wind
direction Temperature and
salinity of sea water Colour of
cloud Appearance of rainbows
Behaviour of certain bird species
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Other Indigenous Weather Knowledge -
Japan Tropical Cyclone prediction Wind
direction Colour and movement of
cloud Fishing potential
(deepwater fish come to surface)
Abnormal sound of waves
Behaviour of birds and honey bees.
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Other Indigenous Weather Knowledge - Peru Signs
of coming rain for Yunga Indians
(agricultural) The early flowering of the
mango tree The flight of the pardela, a type
of gull If December fogs are late, it will be
an El Nino summer (rain and moderate
temperatures) Death of the anchovies - it will
be an El Nino summer
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Samoan Seasonal Calendar
January - Utu va mua Time of the first yam
digging storms and cyclones February - Toe utu
va Further digging of yams March -
Faafu Withering of the yam vine April -
Lo Appearance of the lo fish in plentiful
shoals May - Au nunu Crushed stem of the yam
dry season approaching
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Samoan Seasonal Calendar
June - Ologa manu The singing of birds - plenty
of berries and buds July - Palolo
manu Appearance of marine worms (palolo) on the
reefs August - Toe palolo Last of the
palolo September - Muli fa The appearance of the
stem of the taro caused by hot and dry
weather October - Lotu o uaga Prayers for rain
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Samoan Seasonal Calendar
November - Taumafa mua Time of plenty fish and
other animals in good supply. Time of
feasting December - Toe tuamafa Feasting
finishes. The fist gales and cyclones appear.