So do we have more than one way to appreciate those star stories? The answer is, unequivocally, yes! Cultures all over the world created their own constellations that reflected the stories that were important to themįor example, the pattern known as the Big Dipper (three stars in a handle and four in a bowl, see below) is not an official Greek constellation, but a popular asterism that is part of a larger constellation known as the Great Bear or Ursa Major and is of ancient Greek origin. The elders of these communities would retell origin stories or related cultural teachings and it should come as no surprise that those stories took their place amongst the patterns of stars above them, to be looked upon for all eternity. Often, under a canopy of tens of thousands of stars, the ancients reflected deeply upon our eternal stories of gods, good times and bad, personal development, hope, and desire. At the end of the day, once all the chores had been completed, communities might gather at a local place to relate the day’s adventures and to pass on the lessons from one generation to the next. Away from city lights, in the heart of the woodlands, the stars beckon, calling to you with their diamond-like splendor, challenging you to both admire and to understand them.įor thousands of years, our ancestors looked up at the night sky and successfully found a way to relate our souls and spirits to those ever-present glimmers in the darkness. It’s time we learn the astronomical traditions of the diverse Indigenous cultures in the Americas.įor those of us who visit our more remote Ontario Parks, the view of the night sky is spectacular.
Today’s post comes from Will Morin, a Professor of Indigenous Studies at the University of Sudbury and Bruce Waters, a former educator at the McLaughlin Planetarium and founder of the Killarney Provincial Park Observatory.
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