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Nyoongar Six Seasons Frog Call

Fiona Reidy of Djinda Kaal Dreaming | Perth

Nyoongar Six Seasons Frog Call by Fiona Reidy of Djinda Kaal Dreaming Nyoongar Six Seasons Frog Call by Fiona Reidy of Djinda Kaal Dreaming

Location

One The Esplanade
1 The Esplanade
Perth 6000
Australia
 

About the work

For several years, the street pianos project has been an annual event that engages local artists to re-skin pianos as an activation for the community to watch and upon its completion, available for all in the community to enjoy and play.

Brookfield Properties is proud to have partnered with First Nations artist Fiona Reidy of Djinda Kaal Dreaming, as she brings to life her specially designed street piano Nyoongar Six Seasons Frog Call. Fiona’s totem design is based on the six Nyoongar seasons and frogs.

About the Banjo Frog
When winter chills are gripping the land, Western Banjo Frogs are getting set to call all through the night in south-western Australia. If you’re in Perth, listen for their Banjo-like calls coming from the backyard especially if you’ve got a pond or are close to a wetland or waterway. Around your area, you may hear a single explosive ‘bonk’ ring out from a hidden spot in the dense undergrowth at edge of a stream, lake or other body of water. These calls can carry quite a distance, and they need to. The male begins calling as early as May for northern Banjo Frogs, and from June to August in and around Perth. During the warmer months, these frogs burrow underground to keep cool and moist. During winter they hide in densely growing shrubs at the water’s edge to keep safe from predators. You’re more likely to hear their call than you are to catch a glimpse of them. If you are lucky enough to spot a Banjo Frog as it moves in the undergrowth, you will be able to recognise it from a number of distinct markings. The six Nyoongar seasons included in the artwork are:

  • Birak | First summer, December to January
    Season of the young, dry and hot, burning time.
  • Bunru | Second summer, February to March
    Season of adolescence, hottest part of the year.
  • Djeran | Autumn, April to May
    Season of adulthood, cooler weather begins.
  • Makuru | Winter, June to July
    Season of fertility, coldest and wettest season of the year, more frequent gales and storms.
  • Djilba | First spring, August to September
    Season of conception, mixture of wet days with increasing number of clear, cold nights and pleasant warm days.
  • Kambarang | Second spring, October to November
    Season of birth, longer dry periods.

Watch this video and journey with Fiona as she brings Nyoongar Six Seasons Frog Call to life.