Post by blackcrowheart on Feb 2, 2006 9:02:30 GMT -5
Native American stories of the stars
RON SEELY
www.madison.com/wsj/mad/top//index.php?ntid=71139
Modern-day astronomers have learned remarkable things about the
heavens. But, then, they have the Hubble Space Telescope at their
disposal.
Native Americans, on the other hand, had their eyesight and a rich
history of astronomical observation passed on by ancestors. Yet those
tools were enough to allow them to develop an impressive and
practical understanding of the movements of constellations, stars and
planets.
In fact, stories about celestial objects, including explanations for
their origin and instructions for their practical use as guides to
navigation and time, are woven deeply through all native cultures,
including those of Wisconsin's Native Americans.
Now, a new UW-Madison project is helping students from the state's
tribal reservations understand that their ancestors also had a
sophisticated and accurate understanding of the stars and the planets.
Called "One Sky, Two Views: Expanding Our Cultural Universe," the
program is the brainchild of Sanjay Limaye, an astronomer, and Patty
Loew, an associate professor in the Department of Life Sciences
Communication and a scholar of Native American history and issues.
Loew, who is also a tribal member of the Bad River Ojibwe near
Ashland, and Limaye, have already worked with students from Bad River
and plan other programs in the coming weeks, including visits to
several other reservations.
For Loew, the project is a way to get tribal youth in the state to
appreciate anew the wisdom and the importance of the stories they
grew up with, especially those that are based on observations and
understandings of the natural world. The stories, such as those that
explain the creation of the world or the origin of their tribe,
represent a deep understanding of the connections between people and
nature. And they pass on valuable life and spiritual lessons.
"I hope to instill in these native kids a sense of respect for their
own ancestors when it comes to science and math," Loew said. "My hope
is that they will understand that getting a traditional education in
math and science doesn't have to come at the expense of their native
society. We need more scientists who bring a cultural perspective to
their work."
For Loew, one of the most rewarding aspects of the project is the
storytelling itself. She relishes telling the stories that are so
important to her own culture, such as the tale "Fisher Goes to the
Sky World."
The story takes place before man arrived on Earth. Fisher, Otter,
Badger and Wolverine cooperate to steal the sun and warm Earth.
Fisher, the principal character, sacrifices himself to save his
friends and is turned into the constellation known as the Big Dipper.
The entire story not only conveys important lessons about loyalty and
sacrifice, Loew said, it also contains important details about the
Big Dipper and its location and movement through the seasons.
Limaye, like Loew, wants to help Native American youth understand the
science behind their ancestral stories. But he also hopes to spark an
interest among some of them in a science career.
Loew and Limaye hatched the idea while visiting at a faculty
reception last year. The two had not met but Loew, upon discovering
Limaye is an astronomer who works with young people, chatted with him
about the old stories and how many involve constellations and other
heavenly objects. Limaye, for his part, was impressed with the clear
connections to science.
When Loew finished telling an origin story that involved the beating
of a drum and the movement outward of waves of sound, Limaye
exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, that's the Big Bang theory!"
Limaye shared the conversation with Rosalyn Pertzborn, who directs
the Office of Space Science Education at UW- Madison. She immediately
saw the value of the project and applied for and helped obtain a
$100,000 Baldwin grant. Now, in addition to the school sessions, a
conference and a book are in the works.
Making the connections between the ancient stories and modern science
is an ideal way to get young tribal members interested in a field
such as astronomy, Pertzborn said.
"Their ancestors watched the heavens," Pertzborn said. "They
collected data. And they made predictions. And that's science!"
RON SEELY
www.madison.com/wsj/mad/top//index.php?ntid=71139
Modern-day astronomers have learned remarkable things about the
heavens. But, then, they have the Hubble Space Telescope at their
disposal.
Native Americans, on the other hand, had their eyesight and a rich
history of astronomical observation passed on by ancestors. Yet those
tools were enough to allow them to develop an impressive and
practical understanding of the movements of constellations, stars and
planets.
In fact, stories about celestial objects, including explanations for
their origin and instructions for their practical use as guides to
navigation and time, are woven deeply through all native cultures,
including those of Wisconsin's Native Americans.
Now, a new UW-Madison project is helping students from the state's
tribal reservations understand that their ancestors also had a
sophisticated and accurate understanding of the stars and the planets.
Called "One Sky, Two Views: Expanding Our Cultural Universe," the
program is the brainchild of Sanjay Limaye, an astronomer, and Patty
Loew, an associate professor in the Department of Life Sciences
Communication and a scholar of Native American history and issues.
Loew, who is also a tribal member of the Bad River Ojibwe near
Ashland, and Limaye, have already worked with students from Bad River
and plan other programs in the coming weeks, including visits to
several other reservations.
For Loew, the project is a way to get tribal youth in the state to
appreciate anew the wisdom and the importance of the stories they
grew up with, especially those that are based on observations and
understandings of the natural world. The stories, such as those that
explain the creation of the world or the origin of their tribe,
represent a deep understanding of the connections between people and
nature. And they pass on valuable life and spiritual lessons.
"I hope to instill in these native kids a sense of respect for their
own ancestors when it comes to science and math," Loew said. "My hope
is that they will understand that getting a traditional education in
math and science doesn't have to come at the expense of their native
society. We need more scientists who bring a cultural perspective to
their work."
For Loew, one of the most rewarding aspects of the project is the
storytelling itself. She relishes telling the stories that are so
important to her own culture, such as the tale "Fisher Goes to the
Sky World."
The story takes place before man arrived on Earth. Fisher, Otter,
Badger and Wolverine cooperate to steal the sun and warm Earth.
Fisher, the principal character, sacrifices himself to save his
friends and is turned into the constellation known as the Big Dipper.
The entire story not only conveys important lessons about loyalty and
sacrifice, Loew said, it also contains important details about the
Big Dipper and its location and movement through the seasons.
Limaye, like Loew, wants to help Native American youth understand the
science behind their ancestral stories. But he also hopes to spark an
interest among some of them in a science career.
Loew and Limaye hatched the idea while visiting at a faculty
reception last year. The two had not met but Loew, upon discovering
Limaye is an astronomer who works with young people, chatted with him
about the old stories and how many involve constellations and other
heavenly objects. Limaye, for his part, was impressed with the clear
connections to science.
When Loew finished telling an origin story that involved the beating
of a drum and the movement outward of waves of sound, Limaye
exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, that's the Big Bang theory!"
Limaye shared the conversation with Rosalyn Pertzborn, who directs
the Office of Space Science Education at UW- Madison. She immediately
saw the value of the project and applied for and helped obtain a
$100,000 Baldwin grant. Now, in addition to the school sessions, a
conference and a book are in the works.
Making the connections between the ancient stories and modern science
is an ideal way to get young tribal members interested in a field
such as astronomy, Pertzborn said.
"Their ancestors watched the heavens," Pertzborn said. "They
collected data. And they made predictions. And that's science!"