Birak is coming

Peppy trees are flowering

The Moodja tree is blossoming and Christmas time is near.

In the final weeks of the school year we transition from the season of Kambarang (late spring) to the season of Birak (early summer).  As Naangk (sun) returns to the blue skies and Midjal (rain) eases, our beloved creek once again settles into the tranquility of summer and dragonflies return to hover and dance over the shallow sparkling waters.  The weather becomes karung (hot and dry).  The children have their last opportunities for the year to splash in her cool waters, cross over to the other side, and explore all the revealed wonders up and down her banks that have been hidden away beneath her fast flowing depths over the many longs months of Makuru, Djilba and Kambarang.

As we wrap up the odds and ends of the year, our attention begins to turn to the excitement of Christmas, fond farewells to dear friends, some of whom may not be returning, and the anticipation of time spent with family, holidays, and the beach.  The new begins to call us as we bring to a close the deeds of this year.  Bush Kindy and Bush School parents are invited to join us for a final picnic celebration of our time together in the bush - please see the notices in this newsletter

And to truly celebrate Birak bonar (season), look out for Moodja, the sacred native ‘Christmas Tree’ of Noongar Boodja, and point her out to your children if you can.  Her beautiful blossoms are yoont (yellow) or mirrda-yoont (orange) and not to be picked as they are said to represent the spirits of those who have deceased and passed on from this world. 

To close, I would like to share the following song we collaboratively created at our Birak language camp at Nowanup on the weekend with Aunty Iris Woods.  It is based on her recollections of her childhood in the season of Birak:

Mirrda-yoont is the kala (colour)

of the flowering Moodja 

at Christmas time.

Ngalak yeyi (We now wort koorl mambakoort travel to the seaside)

Ngany wort koorl mambakoort  (I go to the seaside)

Nidjak norba ngany wordiny nort (At the beach I throw my scent)

Birak bonar moort nyininy (In Birak season our family are sitting)

Koorlangar djipa-djopaliny  (the children are swimming and playing)

Baalang yookil wer narla (Getting seashells and seaweed

Ngarning periwinkles       (cooking and eating periwinkles)

Birak bonar kwobidak    (Birak season is beautiful)

(Thank you to Aunty Iris Woods from Tambellup for sharing her language and stories with us.)