Indigenous Astronomy

Books

Andrews, Munya. (2004). The seven sisters of the Pleiades: Stories from around the world. Melbourne: Spinifex Press.

Bakich, Michael. (1995). The Cambridge guide to the constellations. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Bhathal, Ragbir, & White, Graeme. (1991). Under the Southern Cross, Kangaroo Press Pty Ltd, Kenthurst

Burra, L. (2001). Spirit of the night sky. Marlston, SA: JB Books.

Cairns, Hugh, & Harney, Bill. (2003). Dark sparklers. Merimbula, NSW: Hugh Cairns.

Haynes, Raymond, Haynes, Roslynn, Malin, David, & McGee, Richard, (1996), Explorers of the Southern Sky, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Johnson, Dianne. (1998). Night skies of Aboriginal Australia. Sydney: University of Sydney (Oceania Monograph 47).

Morieson, John. (2002). Stars over Tyrrell: The night sky of the Boorong. The author.

Rai, M., & Morieson, John. (1995). The lore of the sky people. The authors.

Ridpath, Ian, & Tirion, Wil.(2000). Collins guide to the stars and planets (3^rd Edition). Collins, Glasgow

Tindale, Norman B., & Twindale, C.R., Tyler, M.J., & Davies, M., (Editors) 1986, Ideas and Endeavours: The Natural Sciences in South Australia, Adelaide.

Articles

Clarke, Philip, 1990, Adelaide Aboriginal Cosmology, Journal of the Anthropological Society of South Australia, Adelaide.

Goldsmith, J. (1999). The emu in the sky. Australian Geographic, 55, 19.

Stanbridge, Wm. Edward, 1857, On the Astronomy and Mythology of the Aborigines of Victoria, Proceedings of the Philosophical Institute, Melbourne.

An illustrated article by Paul Curnow entitled "Night skies of the 'Dreaming'" appeared in the March/April issue of Sky & Space, an Australian astronomy magazine. It may be still available at newsagencies, or you can e-mail Paul for a pdf version.

An article entitled "The southern night sky" written by Dianne Johnson appears in Arthur & Morphy (2005), Macquarie atlas of Indigenous Australia, Macquarie Library: Sydney. Dianne Johnson's previous book on Australian indigenous astronomy is entitled "Night skies of Aboriginal Australia: A noctuary" (1998).

Teaching resources

O'Brien, M.L. (1990). The legend of the seven sisters. Canberra: Aboriginal Studies Press.

Malcolm, C. (1995). There's an emu in the sky. Carlton, Vic.: Curriculum Corporation.

Australian websites

^{Aboriginal astronomy 
http://library.thinkquest.org/C005462/abastro.html}   

Aboriginal skies, by Paul Curnow 
http://ching.apana.org.au/~paulc/loreaussie.html   

^{Astronomy and Australian Indigenous People (Adele Pring) 
http://www.assa.org.au/nacaa/aaaip.pdf     
Aboriginal perspectives on planets 
http://www.aboriginaleducation.sa.edu.au/files/links/Aboriginal_perspectives_o_1.pdf}
The Sun and the Moon - some Aboriginal perspectives
 http://www.aboriginaleducation.sa.edu.au/files/links/The_Sun_and_Moon_Aborigin_1.pdf

Australian Aboriginal Astronomy
http://www.atnf.csiro.au/people/rnorris/AboriginalAstronomy/

Cairns, Hugh, & Harney, Bill. (2003). 
Dark sparklers. Merimbula, NSW: Hugh Cairns.

The seven sisters point the way. 
http://www.abc.net.au/goldfields/stories/s933296.htm This is a radio report so it may not be on the web for long.

Māori Astronomy

Here are a few websites which look at Māori astronomy and Matariki in particular. Matariki is the Maori name for the Pleiades.

• AstronomyNZ: http://www.astronomynz.org.nz/

• Māori star and constellation names: http://www.teapot.orcon.net.nz/maori_star_names.html

• Te Papa (NZ Museum): http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/TePapa/English/Learning/OnlineResources/Matariki2006/

• Te Kete Ipurangi hot topic: http://www.tki.org.nz/r/hot_topics/matariki06_e.php (links to other sites)

• Māori Language Commission: http://www.matariki.net.nz/

ISAAC, the International Society for Archaeoastronomy and Astronomy in Culture
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~tlaloc/archastro/isaac.html

Native American astronomy
Anishinaabe Star Knowledge 
http://www.winds.uthscsa.edu/2002/summer/knowledge.html

Turtle Mountain astroastronomy
http://www.turtlemountain.org/exhibits/mythandhistory/

Mayan astronomy page
http://www.michielb.nl/maya/astro.html

Inca astronomy
A TV program looked at the work of William Sullivan in deciphering messages left by the Incas through Catholic priests among the Spanish invaders of South America. The following two websites refer to the television program and his book.
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/E/ends/inca10.html
http://www.lauralee.com/sullivan.htm

Scientific American Brasil: Etnoastronomia 

According to John Morieson, the only problem is that it is only in Brazilian Portuguese, otherwise it is a great overview of some significant ethnoastronomy from a number of locations. Two local journos used the Boorong material (from north west Victoria) and their graphic artist did an excellent rendition of the Boorong constellations.

(Website in Portuguese: http://www2.uol.com.br/sciam/edicoes_especiais/edicoes_especiais_027.html)