Bunuru Season - Second Summer

Welcome to Bunuru, the Noongar season of the adolescence.

Bunuru is the hottest season of the year, happening from February to March with hot, dry winds and minimal rainfall. The start of this season is signified by the blooming of white flowers. Look for when the jarrah, marri and ghost gums come into flower and you’ll know that Bunuru is upon us.

Traditionally, seafood and fresh water foods made up the majority of the diet for those that lived close to the coast during this time.

In Bunuru it is important to eat more lightly to allow heat to leave the body and keep our energy flowing ‘up and out’ rather than ‘down and in’. Serving lots of raw foods with your meals helps with this energy flow.

Bitter, cooling foods support circulation and help to dispel heat from the body and are an important part of the diet during Bunuru.

Movement During Bunuru

It’s important to keep active and utilise the warm weather during this time to avoid the body feeling sluggish before we come into the ‘release’ season of Djeran. It is also important to avoid burdening your body with anything: emotionally or physically.

Foods to Consider During Bunuru:

• Protein: Salmon, sardines, snapper, mussels, oysters, crayfish, crab, mackerel, squid, barramundi, tofu, tempeh, rabbit, Greek yoghurt, kefir, duck eggs

• Vegetables: Raw foods, salads, legumes, vegetable juices, sprouts, cucumber, endive hearts, spinach, Warrigal greens, tomato, green beans, bitter melon, asparagus, bamboo, celery, radish, seaweed, eggplant, bitter greens.

• Fruit: Apple, melons (all), kiwi orange, pear, pineapple tangerine, mango, passion fruit, grapefruit, avocado, lemon, lime.

• Grains: Barley, buckwheat, millet, mung beans, oat, soy beans, tofu, tempeh.

• Herbs: Ginger, mint, chamomile, green tea, lotus seeds, basil, coriander, parsley, rosemary, saffron, thyme, dandelion, hibiscus, lemon balm, lemon grass, lemon verbena, chickweed, nettle.