I acknowledge the original owners of this country, the Yeerun-Illam-Balug peoples.
Paradigm shift –
"an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way." (Thomas Kuhn – physicist and philosopher)
One of my early paradigm shifts was experienced when I was introduced to ‘the inverted globe’. Clearly, designating us as ‘down under’, suggested the dominance the colonialist north.
Paradigm shift –
"an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about or doing something is replaced by a new and different way." (Thomas Kuhn – physicist and philosopher)
One of my early paradigm shifts was experienced when I was introduced to ‘the inverted globe’. Clearly, designating us as ‘down under’, suggested the dominance the colonialist north.
A most memorable paradigm shift in my thinking, occurred during a time I was staying in Hamilton, Western Victoria.
My partner and I decided to visit the Grampians
Nestled in the very heart of the Grampians or Gariwerd National Park, I discovered the delightful village of Halls Gap.
A couple of kilometers from Halls Gap can be found the: Brambuk The National Park and Cultural Centre (parks.vic.gov.au)
My partner and I decided to visit the Grampians
Nestled in the very heart of the Grampians or Gariwerd National Park, I discovered the delightful village of Halls Gap.
A couple of kilometers from Halls Gap can be found the: Brambuk The National Park and Cultural Centre (parks.vic.gov.au)
The National Park and Visitor Centre celebrates the life and heritage of the Jadawadjali and Djab Wurrung language groups.
Outside the Centre is a descriptive narrative of the life the First Nations people and in particular the significance of changes in weather, flora and fauna.
There are six (not four) distinct weather periods recognised in the Brambuk seasonal cycle. These are genuine seasons which relate to climatic features as well as referencing environmental events such as plant flowering, fruiting and animal behaviour patterns. As nomadic families and groups, the Jadawadjali and Djab Wurrung would have structured their lives around these seasons.
In differentiating these six seasons, the Bureau of Metereology (BOM), presumably in consultation with representatives of local First Nations people, has created a Gariwerd calendar
Gariwerd calendar - Indigenous Weather Knowledge - Bureau of Meteorology (bom.gov.au)
I will hand out copies of this at conclusion.
I can only imagine how invaluable this information would have been for those white settlers who found a means to accommodate and were accommodated by the original inhabitants.
In preparing for this memoir I have made some other interesting discoveries.
For some other First Nations Peoples, the CSIRO has produced a number of seasonal weather maps.
This seasonal map covers what we call the Kimberley region of Western Australia. In this calendar are represented four seasons.
Gooniyandi seasons calendar - CSIRO
My personal paradigm shift up in the Grampians, was both humbling and illuminating.
After visiting the Brambuk at Halls Creek, I moved to the Far South Coast of New South Wales, and for the first time, I had a deep sense of moving onto another’s country. I did not then know how to acknowledge country, but since that experience, acknowledgement of country has been important for me.
At the moment on my Zoom tag, I identify myself, for ease of convenience, as Graham Jensen living on Yorta Yorta land.
Finally, to develop and encourage broader discussion, the CSIRO has offered, for discussion, a five one season schema reflecting a more informed appreciation of Australian weather and an acknowledgement of our changing weather patterns
The following five seasons model for southern Australia was developed by Tim Entwhistle
– Director of Melbourne’s Botanical Gardens
Summer: December – March - reflecting our longer Summer
Autumn April – May
Winter June –July
Sprinter August – September - reflecting Spring flowering in August
Sprummer October-November - a time of changeable weather and storms
I am not sure whether this model will catch on but we do still have much to learn about our own natural environment. Initiatives from BOM and CSIRO, in consultation, with First Nations people, continue to expand my appreciation of this land, of who we are, where we have come from and how climate change is impacting on our daily lives.
Graham Jensen
February 2023
Outside the Centre is a descriptive narrative of the life the First Nations people and in particular the significance of changes in weather, flora and fauna.
There are six (not four) distinct weather periods recognised in the Brambuk seasonal cycle. These are genuine seasons which relate to climatic features as well as referencing environmental events such as plant flowering, fruiting and animal behaviour patterns. As nomadic families and groups, the Jadawadjali and Djab Wurrung would have structured their lives around these seasons.
In differentiating these six seasons, the Bureau of Metereology (BOM), presumably in consultation with representatives of local First Nations people, has created a Gariwerd calendar
Gariwerd calendar - Indigenous Weather Knowledge - Bureau of Meteorology (bom.gov.au)
I will hand out copies of this at conclusion.
I can only imagine how invaluable this information would have been for those white settlers who found a means to accommodate and were accommodated by the original inhabitants.
In preparing for this memoir I have made some other interesting discoveries.
For some other First Nations Peoples, the CSIRO has produced a number of seasonal weather maps.
This seasonal map covers what we call the Kimberley region of Western Australia. In this calendar are represented four seasons.
Gooniyandi seasons calendar - CSIRO
My personal paradigm shift up in the Grampians, was both humbling and illuminating.
After visiting the Brambuk at Halls Creek, I moved to the Far South Coast of New South Wales, and for the first time, I had a deep sense of moving onto another’s country. I did not then know how to acknowledge country, but since that experience, acknowledgement of country has been important for me.
At the moment on my Zoom tag, I identify myself, for ease of convenience, as Graham Jensen living on Yorta Yorta land.
Finally, to develop and encourage broader discussion, the CSIRO has offered, for discussion, a five one season schema reflecting a more informed appreciation of Australian weather and an acknowledgement of our changing weather patterns
The following five seasons model for southern Australia was developed by Tim Entwhistle
– Director of Melbourne’s Botanical Gardens
Summer: December – March - reflecting our longer Summer
Autumn April – May
Winter June –July
Sprinter August – September - reflecting Spring flowering in August
Sprummer October-November - a time of changeable weather and storms
I am not sure whether this model will catch on but we do still have much to learn about our own natural environment. Initiatives from BOM and CSIRO, in consultation, with First Nations people, continue to expand my appreciation of this land, of who we are, where we have come from and how climate change is impacting on our daily lives.
Graham Jensen
February 2023