However, the land that I live on does not have the four seasons that my pagan traditions originated in: I would like to adapt it to suit the place I live in.
The indigenous peoples of this land, the Kulin people, had - according to a public webpage at the Museum of Victoria - identified seven seasons. I am hoping that this information that is publicly available has been made so with permission: I have used it to try to develop a new way of invoking that is based on these seasons that exist in the place I live.
I've come across a similar display previously, at the Brambuk Centre in the Grampians Gedriwerd), which is also available on the Bureau of Metreorology website, but this one was local.
The basic information about each season available on the Museum's website is:
Kulin Seasons (a suggested template is here);
- Iuk Eel Season (a suggested ritual is yet to be written);
- Waring Wombat Season (a suggested ritual is yet to be written);
- Guling Orchid Season (a suggested ritual is yet to be written);
- Poorneet Tadpole Season (a suggested ritual here);
- Buath Gurru Grass Flowering Season (a suggested ritual is yet to be written);
- Kangaroo-apple Season (a suggested ritual here);
- Biderap Dry Season (a suggested ritual here).
I haven't finished this, to the extent that it is complete and neatly presented, but - given the high demands on my time - it is likely to be some time before I do. In the meantime, maybe someone else can use or finish this. So, here are my rough notes.
Before reading them, however, I ask that you read my post on Not devoking: I think being concerned about the possibility of doing something like "sending away the rain", which is catastrophic in mainland Australia, needs to be considered. If you do any devoking when working with indigenous seasons, make sure you are only devoking any energies represented by the season, not the season itself. I actually just go straight from the working to opening the circle and then doing a really good grounding when doing this type of working.
You'll see that I have tried to allocate a compass direction and set of emotions/life experience with each season, much as, for instance, east is associated with spring and any form of renewal.
It will be interesting to see what the Australian pagan community evolves towards in its practice over the next hundred years or so.
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
Notes:
- Although others in my family may have such knowledge - but, quite rightly, have not passed it on to me. My full-blood brother has spent many years working with indigenous people, particularly in northern NSW, and my full-blood sister was married to an indigenous man in the Kimberley region for a few years
This post's photo is yet to be posted.
Tags: adaptation to Australia, rituals, energy work, grounding, indigenous, Kulin, seasons,
First published: Friday 5th November, 2010
Last edited: Saturday 20th November, 2010
