Roasted Bardi is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside

Noongar Kaartdijin Aboriginal Corporation

THIS month we highlight some bush foods traditionally used by Noongar moort (families) across the Toodyay Valley.

Contrary to colonial misconceptions that Noongar people relied mainly on large djaat (game), about 80 per cent of their traditional diet came from mereny (plant foods) and small djaat (small game).

Including vegetable roots like yanget (bulrush), warrany (yam), and djubak (orchid tuber), as well as yerenburt (fruits/berries), kwolak (grains/seeds).

Included also were animals like yerderap (duck), djidong (small lizards), kaarda (goanna), noorn (snakes), kwenda (bandicoot), and minga (insects/larvae).

KAARDA (Goanna)
Kaarda is valued for its taste and nutritional benefits and after removing the internal organs and cleaning, it is cooked in the ashes of a kaarla (campfire).
The oil from kaarda is also used to treat skin ailments and though difficult to catch kaarda are often found in burrows.
Noongar people have used rock slabs on granite outcrops to create kaarda-mia (goanna shelters) designed to trap them.
Many of these shelters once common across Noongar country, have been removed or damaged due to various factors, including land development and the use of granite slabs for gardens and construction.