What is Bush Tucker?

Bush tucker (also called bush food) refers to the native plants, animals and insects that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have used as food sources for tens of thousands of years. This includes fruits, seeds, nuts, roots, insects, fish, shellfish, birds and other animals.

Gathering and preparing bush tucker requires deep mathematical knowledge: understanding seasons and timing, measuring and estimating quantities, dividing food fairly among community members, and navigating across vast landscapes to find food sources.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples didn't just "find" food randomly. They had sophisticated systems for knowing what to eat, where to find it, when it would be available, and how to prepare it safely.

Aboriginal Seasonal Calendars

In school, we usually learn about four seasons: summer, autumn, winter and spring. But this system was developed in Europe. In Australia, the land behaves very differently.

Many Aboriginal groups recognise six, seven or even more seasons based on careful observation of weather patterns, plant growth, animal behaviour and star positions. These calendars are far more useful for knowing when food is available.

The Yolnu Seasons (Arnhem Land, Northern Territory)

The Yolnu people of north-east Arnhem Land recognise six distinct seasons:

Dharratharramirri

Pre-wet season (approx. Oct-Nov)

Thunder and lightning begin. Time to harvest long yams and water chestnuts.

Barra'mirri

Wet/monsoon season (approx. Dec-Mar)

Heavy rains fill rivers. Freshwater fish, turtles and waterfowl are plentiful.

Mayaltha

Flowering season (approx. Mar-May)

Rains ease, flowers bloom. Wild honey becomes available.

Midawarr

Fruiting season (approx. May-Jun)

Many fruits ripen. Good time for gathering bush plums, native figs.

Dharratharramirri

Early dry (approx. Jun-Aug)

Cool and dry. Good for hunting wallaby and gathering lily roots.

Rarranhdharr

Hot dry season (approx. Aug-Oct)

Very hot and dry. Fire management clears land. Goannas and possums hunted.

The D'harawal Seasons (Sydney Region, NSW)

The D'harawal people of the Sydney region recognise seven seasons, each defined by natural signs like flowering plants, migrating birds and wind changes.

For example, when the Waratah flowers, it signals the time to gather shellfish from the coast. When Acacia trees bloom, it's time to fish for mullet. These are not random observations; they represent thousands of years of careful ecological knowledge passed down through generations.

The seasons don't have fixed calendar dates. They are observed through signs in the natural environment, making them more accurate than a fixed calendar for predicting food availability.

Measurement in Food Preparation

Many bush tucker foods require careful preparation. Some need to be soaked, ground, cooked at the right temperature or processed to remove toxins. This requires measurement skills.

Cycad Seeds

Cycad seeds are poisonous when raw but can be made safe to eat through a process that takes several days. The seeds must be sliced to the right thickness, soaked in running water for a measured number of days, then ground into flour. Getting the timing or quantities wrong could make people very sick. This is precise measurement in action.

Ground Oven Cooking

Ground ovens involve digging a pit to the right depth, heating stones to the right temperature, and timing the cooking. A kangaroo needs longer than a goanna. These measurements were learned over thousands of years and shared through oral teaching.

Fractions and Community Sharing

In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, food is shared with the whole community according to specific rules. Different people receive different portions based on kinship (family relationships) and cultural roles. This requires understanding of fractions and fair division.

Example: Sharing a Kangaroo

When a kangaroo is hunted, it is not simply divided equally. Different parts go to different people:

● The hunter's parents-in-law might receive the back legs (the largest portion)

● The hunter might keep the ribs

● Elders receive choice portions as a sign of respect

● The rest is shared among the wider community

This system ensures everyone is fed and that sharing follows cultural law. It is a form of applied fractions.

Maths Connection: Dividing into Portions

If a catch of 12 fish is shared among 4 family groups equally:

3 fish

Each group gets 12/4 = 3 fish, or 1/4 of the total catch.

Key Vocabulary

Bush Tucker

Native plants, animals and insects used as food sources by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Seasonal Calendar

A system for tracking seasons and natural cycles. Aboriginal calendars often have 6-7 seasons based on environmental observation.

Kinship

The system of family and social relationships that determines how people relate to each other and share resources.

Division / Sharing

Splitting a quantity into equal or fair portions. In community food sharing, this uses practical fraction knowledge.

Worked Examples

1

Reading a seasonal calendar

The D'harawal calendar shows that mullet are best fished when the Acacia blooms. If the Acacia blooms in late August and the mullet season lasts 6 weeks, when does the season end?

Step 1: Start date is late August. Let's say August 25.

Step 2: Add 6 weeks. 6 weeks = 42 days.

Step 3: August has 31 days, so 31 - 25 = 6 days left in August. 42 - 6 = 36 more days. September has 30 days. 36 - 30 = 6 days into October.

Answer: The mullet season would end around early October (about October 6).

2

Dividing a catch equally

A community gathers 20 yams. They need to be shared equally among 5 families. How many yams does each family receive?

Step 1: Total yams = 20. Number of families = 5.

Step 2: Divide: 20 ÷ 5 = 4.

Answer: Each family receives 4 yams. Each family gets 1/5 of the total.

3

Comparing seasons

The European system has 4 seasons. The Yolnu people have 6 seasons. If a year is 12 months, how many months does each Yolnu season last on average?

Step 1: 12 months ÷ 6 seasons = 2 months per season.

Step 2: Compare: European seasons average 12 ÷ 4 = 3 months each.

Answer: Each Yolnu season averages about 2 months, compared to 3 months for European seasons. This gives more precise information about when different foods are available.

Knowledge Check

Select the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right.

Question 1

How many seasons do the Yolnu people of Arnhem Land recognise?

6 seasons 4 seasons (like the European system) 2 seasons (wet and dry) 12 seasons (one per month)

Question 2

A community catches 18 fish to share equally among 3 family groups. What fraction of the fish does each family group receive?

1/6 (3 fish each) 1/3 (6 fish each) 1/18 (1 fish each) 3/18 (3 fish each)

Question 3

Why do Aboriginal seasonal calendars have more seasons than the European system?

Because Australia has more weather than Europe Because Aboriginal people liked bigger numbers Because more seasons give more precise information about food availability and environmental changes Because they couldn't agree on fewer seasons

Question 4

If a year has 12 months and a D'harawal seasonal calendar has 7 seasons, approximately how many weeks does each season last?

About 2 weeks About 4 weeks About 13 weeks About 7-8 weeks

Question 5

Why did cycad seed preparation require mathematical thinking?

Because precise measurement of thickness, soaking time and quantities was needed to remove toxins safely Because you needed to count the seeds Because the seeds are shaped like numbers It didn't require any mathematical thinking

Bush Tucker Mathematics