Understanding Indigenous knowledge of weather and seasons

You’re probably familiar with the four seasons—Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring—but did you know that First Nations people have long recognised many more? Depending on the location, some Indigenous groups observe up to six distinct seasons each year.

A storm approaches off eastern Australia. Credit: Jeremy Bishop/Unsplash

First Nations knowledge of weather and seasons has been passed down through the generations through oral and visual storytelling and cultural traditions.

• The seasonal cycles described by First Nations peoples vary across Australia according to their geographic location.
• First Nations weather knowledge incorporates understanding of how changes in the behaviour of animals or growth of plants ties in with changes to weather and seasons.