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NOONGAR SIX BONAR(SEASONS)Take a moment to read the storiescarried by the land, and embrace theharmony between nature and cultureToodyay Valley Message
Toodyay Valley Toodyay is renowned for its fertile lands, sacred waterways, andthe mist that graces the area during Makuru bonar. This region is home to three Noongar language groups: Yued,Ballardong, and Whadjuk. For over 45,000 years, Noongarmoort (families) lived and moved across the valley, each familyconnected to specific moort-boodja (family lands) with culturalrights to waterholes. Noongar families were living traditional lives in this area -sourcing food, managing their boodja (land) and karlerl (familycamps), fulfilling cultural responsibilities, passing on knowledge,and trading with other Noongar groups throughout the sixbonar. Noongar people achieved balance and adaptability, living inharmony with nature. Their way of life reflected complexsystems of land management, a deep understanding of theenvironment and seasonal cycles, sophisticated knowledgesystems, and structured cultural practices. This balance was disrupted in 1836 with the arrival of colonisers,who dispossessed and displaced Noongar people, severing theirconnections to boodja (land) and cultural practices.
Write a fun and catchydescription here or a quotefrom your magazine.Makuru (Season of Fertility), Djilba (Season of Conception),Kambarang (Season of Birth), Birak (Season of the Young),Bunuru (Season of Adolescence), and Djeran (Season ofAdulthood). Each season’s duration varied, reflecting the rhythms ofcountry and the intricate patterns of nature. These bonarguided a way of life deeply connected to the biodiversity of the land, enabling families to understand when plants andanimals were plentiful and how to gather sustainably. By taking only what was needed, they nurtured the land’sabundance, ensuring its vitality for generations to come. This enduring connection to nature reflects a legacy ofwisdom, care, and balance - an intimate relationship withBoodja that has sustained life for countless generations. Itinvites us to consider how we, too, can walk gently on the land, respecting its rhythms and abundance. Each bonar reveals profound insights into the cycles of life,offering timeless lessons in living harmoniously with the world around us.Living in Harmonywith Boodja (Country)Moving from a season of fertilitythrough to a season of adulthood, the Noongar people have long lived inharmony with the land, guided by the six bonar (seasons):