Noongar Aboriginal Art - from Western Australia's South West

The Noongar Story

Who are the Noongar People?

The first inhabitants of the South West corner of Western Australia were the Aboriginal Noongar people.

The oldest evidence of their presence is at Devil’s Lair - an ancient mysterious place in the hills near Margaret River - where the Noongar people lived over 38,000 years ago.

Where is Noongar Country?

The Noongar people live in the region running just south of Geraldton, to Esperance in the south in the State of Western Australia.

Noongar Culture

Noongar, which literally translated means man, is a culture linked by a common language and affiliation with the land. It is made up of 14 tribes.

The Noongar people believe the Waagle, or Rainbow Serpent, dominated the earth and the sky creating waterways and people. It is a central figure in Noongar culture. Noongar people believe the Waagle gave life and sustenance to people who in return became custodians of the land.

To the Noongar culture, Boojar, or land is important. Each tribal group had their own kaleep, or favoured camping locality, which held a special significance for them. The culture has a complex relationship to the land and pays respect to the seasons and the bountiful supply of food.

However, the Noongar culture was to change dramatically when Europeans settled Western Australia in 1829.

The breakdown of their long-held traditions occurred between the 1870s and 1940s through the enforced relocation of traditional landholders under Government law.

These changes to the Aboriginal culture, imposed by white settlers, is sometimes reflected in Noongar art work in what has become known as the ‘Carrolup style’ of painting.

However these people’s strong connection to the land has never ended and it is this connection which holds most prominence in the uniquely Australian, Noongar Aboriginal art.

The Noongar Seasons

Noongar artwork is also influenced by the seasons and the traditional quest for food and shelter.

The Noongar year has six seasons - Birak, Bunuru, Djeran, Makuru, Djilba and Kambarang.

Birak, from December to January, is hot and easterly winds blow during the day. Noongar people would burn sections of scrubland to force animals into the open to hunt.

Bunuru, from February to March, is dry and the Noongar people moved to the estuaries to catch fish which formed a large part of their seasonal diet.

In Djeran, from April to May, the weather is cooler with winds from the south west. Fishing continued and bulbs and seeds were collected for food.

In Makuru, from June to July, Noongar people moved inland to hunt once the rains had replenished inland water resources.

In Djilba, from August to September, the weather becomes warmer. Roots were collected and emus, possums and kangaroos were hunted for food.

In Kambarang, from October to November, families moved onto the coastal plains where frogs, tortoise and freshwater crayfish were caught.