Aberfoyle Park High School Newsletter

Middle school news

The following article is Perry Otero's outstanding assignment from the 702 class, selected for publication in the school newsletter as part of a seasonal newsletter task. 

 

Parnati Season - Year 7 science

By Perry Otero

 

The Kaurna People

The local Indigenous people are the Kaurna people. Their traditional lands span the Adelaide Plains, from Crystal Brook (North) to Cape Jervis (South) and the Mount Lofty Ranges (East). 

 

The Kaurna people were skilled hunters, gatherers, fishers, medics, and foragers. They relied on these skills to survive the tough winters and deathly summers. The whole community relied on their hunters to find food for the young and the sick. Men were normally the hunters and fishermen, while women were foragers and gatherers. Elder women were medics and caregivers.

 

We Are Currently in Parnati (Autumn) – May, April, June 

During Parnati, you can expect cooler weather, possibly cold mornings, increased rainfall, and potential fog. 

 

Traditional Practices

The Kaurna people used Parnati to gather small stone fruits, yams, roots, wild cabbage, and seeds. The abundance of food, like kangaroo and seafood caught in nets, was a characteristic of this season.

 

Shelter and Preparation

The high rainfall of Parnati prompted the Kaurna to build large, waterproof huts to prepare for the wet season.

 

Fire Farming 

The first month of Parnati is fire-stick farming season. The Kaurna people used controlled fire to cultivate staple crops like tarnta (kangaroo grass) and ngampa (yam daisy). This is a really good way to manage the land, stop large wildfires, and get rid of dead plants to make room for new healthy plants and get rid of invasive species.

 

Fire-stick farming is a practice we can and should continue for generations. There is still much to for us to learn about Indigenous knowledge, but we need to use what we know to care for the Earth. For the planet to thrive, we must all contribute. A good place to start is by learning how to help in the right way.

 

A Different Perspective

Can’t you see such a different perspective of living? The Kaurna people lived with the land. They healed the land. Today, we are destroying it. We need to change our ways. If we continue down this road, nothing good will come. Smoke will fill the air, the land will die and we will die.

 

Cultural Awareness

We need to be more aware of Kaurna culture and the current Kaurna seasons. Without the Parnati season, some needed plants and herbs would not grow. The Parnati season is very important because plants available during this season are needed to treat sickness and it provides a range of food available for hunting and gathering.

 

References