The Whadjuck People
Aboriginal Group
Zamia Palm
Kangaroo skin cloak
Where the Whadjuck live
Whadjuck People
Location
The Whadjuck people live in Perth, Western Australia. Their region stretches from Walyunga to the Jarrah Forests.
Diet
From November to December, the Whadjuck people harvest wattle seeds , that were later pounded and stored as damper.
From January to February, the Whadjuck moved to coastal areas. Mallee fowl eggs were part of their diet.
From March to April, the weather became cooler. The Whadjuck continued fishing and zamia palm, cycad nuts, bulbs and other seeds were collected for food. Zamia palm, which is poisonous, was prepared so the poison was removed. Burrowing Frogs were caught in large numbers.
From May to June, the Whadjuck moved inland from the coast to hunt grey kangaroos and tammar wallabies.
From July to August, the Whadjuck people moved to places where roots were collected and emus, ringtailed possums and kangaroos were hunted.
From September to October, the rain decreased. The Whadjuck moved towards the coast where frogs, tortoises, freshwater crayfish and blue marron were caught. Birds returning from their northern hemisphere migration also formed part of their diet.
Climate
The weather in Perth in WInter is cool and moist. They survived by using the skin of kangaroos they had hunted as cloaks and built waterproof huts.
Beliefs
Crows are sacred to the Aborigines inhabiting Western Australia called Noongars. They believe that a Noongar, with special powers turned into a crow.
The First Settlers
In 1831, the Noongars and the British encountered several times. The British executed the Whadjuck tribal chief, Midgegooroo and the death of his son Yagan in 1833.
In 1834, the Battle of Pinjarra started, where a lot of Aboriginal people were murdered.
After they protested, they were sent to Rottnest Island and other remote places.
Facts
White stone tools, estimated to be approximately 70,000 years old, have been found on Rottnest Island.
Whadjuck used high quality red ochre in ceremonies. It was sometimes used as a dye to colour hair.