Solstice and Solar Position Observations in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditions

Hamacher, Duane W.; Fuller, Robert S.; Leaman, Trevor M.; Bosun, David

doi:10.3724/sp.j.1440-2807.2020.01.05

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 10 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, these cycles are also observed in equatorial zones with less evident seasonality but with clear patterns related to the rainy season and other climatic phenomena that inform decision‐making to plant, cultivate, hunt and other cultural practices. Indeed, cyclicality has been observed by diverse Indigenous people who have established biocultural calendars synchronized with the movement of the sun (and the moon) that influence the behavior of the tides and the seasonal cycles of their local climate, plants and animals (Hamacher et al., 2020 ; Hoffecker, 2005 ; McHugh et al., 2021 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biocultural Calendars Across Four Ethnolinguistic Communities in Southwestern South America

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Since the mid‐20th century, the so‐called Great Acceleration ( sensu Steffen et al., 2007, https://doi.org/10.1579/0044-7447(2007)36[614:TAAHNO]2.0.CO;2 ) has amplified processes of ecosystem degradation, extinction of biological species, displacement of local peoples, losses of languages, and cultural diversity. These losses are still underperceived by the academic community, and by a global society that is disconnected from biocultural diversity. To reconnect society with biocultural diversity, we integrate temporal and spatial dimensions of seasonal cycles, by combining two conceptual frameworks: ecological calendars and the “3Hs” model of the biocultural ethic ( sensu Rozzi, 2012, https://doi.org/10.5840/enviroethics20123414 ). The latter values the vital links between human and other‐than‐human co‐inhabitants , their life habits (e.g., cultural practices of humans or life cycles of other‐than‐human species), and the structure and processes of their shared habitats . This integration enhances an understanding of links between cultural practices and the life cycles of biocultural keystone species. As a synthesis, we use the term biocultural calendars to emphasize their co‐constitutive nature that result from interactions between dynamic biophysical and cultural processes embedded in specific ecosystems and cultures. These calendars link astronomical, biological, and cultural seasonal cycles that sustain life and enhance the integration of Indigenous and scientific knowledge to confront challenges of climate change faced from local to global scales. To illustrate this integration, we examine cultural practices and socio‐environmental changes across four contrasting ethnolinguistic communities in southwestern South America, from southern to northern Chile along a marked climatic gradient to show the broad application of the concept of biocultural calendars.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biocultural Calendars Across Four Ethnolinguistic Communities in Southwestern South America

et al. 2023

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Using the Significant Horizons Methodology to Determine Potential Astronomical Use of Aboriginal Stone Arrangements

Leaman

Hamacher

2023

Historical &Amp; Cultural Astronomy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Astronomy and Culture

Salimpour

Fitzgerald

2022

Sci & Educ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Modern astronomy as a field of inquiry may be shaped by what we consider the “scientific” ways of knowing. However, the history of astronomy as a human endeavour dates back millennia before the “modern” notions of “science”. This long history means that astronomy is, at its core, built on a rich cultural diversity and history. This offers a rich potential that, while having been examined in various studies, has yet to be explored from a contextual pedagogical perspective. This paper offers an initial exploratory theoretical perspective on how social semiotics can be used to inform a conceptual framework. This approach not only brings notions of culture into the teaching and learning of astronomy but uses culture as the starting point in a way that does justice to the cultural diversity of the discipline and the world. In doing so, this paper develops two frameworks: (i) the Conceptual Framework for Culture in Astronomy Education and (ii) the Pedagogical Framework for Culture in Astronomy Education, both of these offer a novel approach to astronomy education.

show abstract

Solstice and Solar Position Observations in Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditions

Cited by 6 publications

References 10 publications

Biocultural Calendars Across Four Ethnolinguistic Communities in Southwestern South America

Biocultural Calendars Across Four Ethnolinguistic Communities in Southwestern South America

Using the Significant Horizons Methodology to Determine Potential Astronomical Use of Aboriginal Stone Arrangements

Astronomy and Culture

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About