On a sunny Saturday morning, I participated in a tour where we learned about traditional Aboriginal uses of native plants, with an emphasis on bush foods (or ‘bush tucker’, as it is often referred to). We chewed on native oregano leaves, enjoyed the fragrance of lemon myrtle, and snacked on lilly pilly fruits. It was an exciting and interactive way to discover the many uses of the plants growing all around us! The tour got me so enthused that the next morning I made my way to an Aboriginal market, where I was able to purchase native plants as well as foods and crafts made with them.
While bush tucker isn’t commonly eaten by most Australians, it wasn’t always that way. Many staple foods that we eat today, like corn and potatoes, are non-native and have only been accessible to Australians following European colonization. Aboriginal peoples have inhabited Australia for around 60,000 years, long before Europeans (and the foods that they brought over) arrived. But that doesn’t mean they were missing out – there were plenty of delicious options of native foods to choose from!
Today, many people, both Indigenous and not, are trying to restore the tradition surrounding bush tucker. At some supermarkets I can find native ingredients for sale, and fine dining restaurants throughout the city have started to incorporate bush tucker on their menus. There are several reasons for doing so. For one, it’s simply more sustainable. Many non-native crops such as corn and wheat require lots of resources, including water, whereas native plants are often better able to persist without added resources.
