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SALTWATER BURNING
IN THE CROCODILE ISLANDS
“Dh^biya na\apuluma dhulmiyama wangala\a limalama?
Wanhaba \upanaba romnha!”
“Why do we burn salt water country? It’s the law!”
Laurie Baymarrwangga
SCHEDULE OF BURNING
Each year fires should be lit from different points on the islands
as marked on the maps, after consultation with land managers and
Traditional Owners. It is also acknowledged that in order for cold fire
burning, it would be better to burn before August. Auxillary fires may
be lit after consultation with land managers and Traditional Owners.
SEASONS
Dharratharramirri - May-June-July
Rrarrandharr - August-September-October
Dhulu[ur’ - October-November
B^rra’mirri - December-January
Mayaltha - February-March
Mi[awarr - March-April-May
WIND DIRECTIONS
Strong easterly winds
Strong northerly winds
Strong north-westerly’s
Westerly winds
Gentle north-easterly’s
Gentle south-easterly’s
WIND NAMES
Dhimurru
Lu\gurma
B^rra
B^rra
Dhimurru
Djalata\
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
A 5 yearly cycle of burning is recomended. Each year fires should
be lit during the period Midawar Yindi, and then through to
Rrarrandarr’ (May until October). The prevailing wind of this time
of the year is S-SE (Djalata\ - bulwunu (Dhimurru)).
Year 1 Balma M36, Gundurrak M32, Gududutji M42, Djaluwa M54.
Year 2 Bulmatjirra M40, Nambalpuma M50, Madamagoma M57.
Year 3 Djeda M30, Barr\ani\ani\ M23, Nilatjirriwa M25.
Year 4 Dhudi gartjanbal M26, Buburatjirra M18, Gumukmirr M12.
Year 5 Milmatjirra M17, Bunguratjirra M55, Mewa M6.
A 5 yearly cycle of burning is recommended. Each
year fires should be lit during the period Midawar
Yindi, and then through to Rrarrandarr’ (May until
October). The prevailing wind of this time of the year
is S-SE (Djalata\ - bulwunu (Dhimurru)).
Year 1 Marrabirrkula Mu14
Year 2 Bulba\u-balatjin-rantana Mu69
Year 3 Djutungurra Mu75
Year 4 Dhunkurmirringuli Mu81
Year 5 Warragiya Mu54
A 3 yearly cycle of burning is recommended, with a year
off after each three year cycle. Each year fires should be
lit during the period Dharratharramirri, and through to
Rrarrandarr’ (June until October), after the seagull eggs have
hatched and the young seagulls have left. The prevailing wind
of this time of the year is N-NE (Lu\gurma).
Year 1 Wuymungurra G11
Year 2 Garrba\a G7
Year 3 Balambala 1 G2
Year 4 Year off from burning
FOLLOWING THE LAW: BURNING SALT WATER COUNTRY
Binmunu wanha napuluma bay\u \upanba rom \atjiliya\umuru.
Binmunu wanha yana bay\u garrana bilyana\urranha ga nhama
wa\gala.
Nhunu gurrku rom \upanaba burthalagu dhulmiyamagu.
Munugubi buyumuy bulthara gurrku bulungitj walimirinha
dhulmiyamagu.
Djatalkurru burrthala gurrku wangala\a limalama mala\uyirri.
Gakulukuyirri buyumuyumayirr burrthala gurrku wa\gala\a
bulungitjyunayirri.
Burthala murru girriyanba gurrku wa\gala\a bulungitjmiyama.
Burthala murru girriyanba gurrku murru girriyanba yutama.
Burthala gurrku girriyanba yutama bupaitjgu minibi yinika.
Burthala gurrku girriyanba yutama mulumugu bupaitjgu murru
\arrkugu.
Binmunu wanha napuluma bay\u \upanba rom \atjiliya\umuru.
(Yan-nha\u)
As always we continue to look after our country as is the law.
Always watching the country and listening to the winds you must
follow the knowledge of the ancestral spirits when you burn.
Don’t burn anytime or anywhere but with the law.
In the morning, wind tells the people when it is the right time
to burn.
Burning clears our country of obstructions.
Burning clears the country and makes it open and healthy.
Burning helps with the reproduction of the food plants.
Through it new food plants are created and new food comes into
existence.
Burning makes fresh leaves and grass appear.
Fire brings the new grass that is the food that grows the wallaby.
We always follow the law of the old people in our burning
practice.