ethnoastronomy: the people and the stars

ETHNOASTRONOMY

The People and the Stars

What is ETHNOASTRONOMY?Ethnoastronomy is the branch of

astronomy that involves learning about the astronomical system of non-Western people (Farrer, 1993). It is concerned on knowing how different ethnic groups on Earth see the heavens and how they use it for their contemporary daily lives.

PART 1: NATIVE AMERICANS

•Navajo•Inuit•Lakota

NAVAJO INDIANSThe Navajo (Navajo: Diné or Naabeehó) are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. They are the second largest federally recognized tribe in the US.

DILYEHEThe Planters

The Planters determine when it is the proper time to plant crops. Once it is seen early in the morning, planting must stop or the crops will not be ripe by harvest.

GAH HAAT’E’IIThe Rabbit Tracks

This constellation, which is part of the tail of Scorpius, is used by Navajo hunters to determine when the traditional hunting season would begin.

INUITInuit are a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic regions of Greenland, Canada, and Alaska.

AAGJUNKThe Sunbeam

The Aagjunk is used by the Inuit for time keeping. On the day of the winter solstice, the Sun lies directly below Aagjunk. Even though one can’t see the Sun as it lies close to the horizon, the false twilight that it produces is centered on the star.

LAKOTA INDIANSThe Lakȟóta people, also known as Teton, Thítȟuŋwaŋ ("prairie dwellers"), and Teton Sioux ("snake, or enemy") are an indigenous people of the Great Plains of North America.

CANSHASHAIPUSYEThe Dried Willow

The Dried Willow constellation is watched from the Winter Camps to signify the arrival of the Vernal equinox.

WINCINCHALASAKOWIN

The Seven Little Girls

The Wincinchala Sakowin is watched from the Harney Peak to warn the people on the incoming thunderstorm season (“welcoming of the thunder”).

TAYAMNIThe Buffalo

The Tayamni is watched from a central cairn during the “life welcoming at peace” ceremony every spring.

MATO TIPILAThe Bear’s Lodge

The Bear’s Lodge is watched from the Devil’s Tower during the Summer solstice, right before the “Sun Dance” tribal ceremony.

The Lakota “tying” of the constellations

Harney Peak

Central Cairn

Devil’s Tower

Winter Camps

PART 2: WESTERN AFRICA

•Hausa

HAUSA PEOPLEThe Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa. The Hausa are a diverse but culturally homogeneous people based primarily in the Sahelian and Sudanian Daura area of northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, with significant numbers also living in parts of Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Chad, Togo, Ghana, Sudan, and Gabon.

KAZA MAIYAYAThe Hen with Chickens

The Kaza Maiyaya is the constellation that appears during the onset of the rainy season.

Eagle StarThe Morning Star of Harvest

The appearance of Altair at dawn signifies the start of the harvest season.

PART 3: EAST ASIA

•China

THE CHINESE CONSTELLATIONSTraditional Chinese astronomy has a system of dividing the celestial sphere into asterisms or constellations, known as "officials“. The Chinese asterisms are generally smaller than the constellations of Hellenistic tradition. The Song dynasty (13th-century) Suzhou planisphere shows a total of 283 patterns, comprising a total of 1,565 individual stars.

In China, where the Emperor was seen as the Son of Heaven with a mandate from the power of heaven to rule, the stars were closely tied to the events within the dynasties. Most constellations were related to the objects on earth which was seen as a reflection of that in the heavens. Detail was important for advising the Emperor and predicting events. Thus, astrology led to meticulous astronomy.

Along the northern sky, the star patterns were grouped into three enclosures.

1.Left Wall of the Supreme Palace2.Right Wall of the Supreme Palace3.Left Wall of the Heavenly Market4.Right Wall of the Heavenly Market

Along the ecliptic, the twenty-eight mansions are divided into four symbols.

1.Azure Dragon of the East2.Vermilion Bird of the South3.White Tiger of the West4.Black Tortoise of the North

*similar with Japanese and Korean constellations

One of the most important fruits of ancient Chinese astronomy, the Chinese calendar is a lunisolar calendar which arranges the year, month and day number upon the astronomical date. It is used for traditional activities in China and overseas Chinese communities.

PART 4: SOUTHEAST ASIA

• Sunda• Filipinos

SUNDANESE PEOPLEThe Sundanese are an ethnic group native to the western part of the Indonesian island of Java. They number approximately 40 million, and are the second most populous of all the nation's ethnicities.

BENTANG WULUKUThe Pitchfork

The rising of the Orion’s Belt (Bentang Wuluku) at dawn during mid-May signals the start of the dry season.

BENTANG KERTIThe Garden

Together with the Orion’s Belt, the rising of the Pleiades (Bentang Kerti) at dawn during mid-May signals the start of the dry season.

BENTANGLANGLANGAYAN

The Kite

Also called as Bentang Saung Genjot (The Leaning Hut), it is used by fishermen to know the Southern direction. Its appearance in the East during sunrise is the sign of the beginning of the dry season for farmers.

FILIPINO PEOPLEThe Filipinos are a Southeast Asian ethnic group who are identified and native to the Philippines.

BALATIKThe Trap

MAPULONGThe Group of Stars

CAMALYNGThe Hut

TIMBANGANThe Scales

PART 5: AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINALS

• Arrernte• Boorong• Pitjantjatjara• Warlpiri• Yolngu

NEILLOANThe Mallee Fowl

The first appearance of the Neilloan in the night sky signifies the beginning of the egg-laying season of the Mallee fowls. (Boorong)

DJUITThe Red-rumped Parrot

The first appearance of the Djuit in the night sky signified the arrival of the Macassan fishermen from Indonesia.

LAMANKURRKThe Girls

The first appearance of the Djuit in the dawn sky signifies the beginning of winter.

EMUThe Emu

Whenever the Emu appears to “stand” on Autumn nights, it signifies the beginning of the egg-laying season of the emu birds.

PART 6: OCEANIAN NAVIGATORS

• Maori• Polynesians

MAORI PEOPLEThe Maori are the indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand. The Māori originated with settlers from eastern Polynesia, who arrived in New Zealand in several waves of canoe voyages at some time between 1250 and 1300 CE.

MATARIKIThe Eyes of God

The first appearance of Matariki together with Puanga (Rigel) in the dawn sky signifies the birth of a new year.

REHUAThe Heavenly Guardian

Known fully as ko Rehua whakaruhi tangata (Rehua gives energy to men), Rehua heralds the start of spring whenever it rises just before dawn.

MAORISTAR

COMPASS

POLYNESIANSThe Polynesian people consists of various ethnic groups that speak Polynesian languages, a branch of the Oceanic languages, and inhabit Polynesia. The native Polynesian people of New Zealand and Hawaii are minorities in their homelands.

KAHEI-HEI ONA KEIKI

The Cat’s Cradle

The Kahei-hei o na keiki is used as a navigation guide during the winter months.

HANAIAKAMALAMAThe Cross of the Barren Lands

The Hanaiakamalama is used as a pointer for both the north (Hokupa’a, Polaris) and south directions.

POLYNESIANSTAR

COMPASS

END.

1. DID YOU NOTICE ANY SIMILARITIES BETWEEN ANY OF THE DISCUSSED ETHNIC STAR LORES/ASTRONOMY? WHAT DO YOU THINK MADE THEM VERY IDENTICAL?

2. HOW DOES A SPECIFIC CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF ASTRONOMY/ASTROLOGY OF ANY ETHNIC GROUPS?

3. BETWEEN THE ONES DISCUSSED, WHICH ETHNIC ASTRONOMY DO YOU FIND MOST INTERESTING?

QUESTIONS: