The First Astronomers is the first book to reveal the rich knowledge
of the stars and the planets held by First Peoples around the world.
Our eyes have been drawn away from the skies to our screens. We no
longer look to the stars to forecast the weather, predict the seasons or
plant our gardens. Most of us cannot even see the Milky Way. But First
Nations Elders around the world still maintain this knowledge, and there
is much we can learn from them.
These Elders are expert observers of the stars. They teach that
everything on the land is reflected in the sky, and everything in the
sky is reflected on the land. How does this work, and how can we better
understand our place in the universe?
Guided by six First Nations Elders, Duane Hamacher takes us on a journey
across space and time to reveal the wisdom of the first astronomers.
These living systems of knowledge challenge conventional ideas about the
nature of science and the longevity of oral tradition. Indigenous
science is dynamic, adapting to changes in the skies and on Earth,
pointing the way for a world facing the profound disruptions of climate
change.
'This book marks a profound paradigm shift in our understanding of
Indigenous scientific traditions, how they are transmitted, and their
relevance to life today.' - Professor Marcia Langton, University of
Melbourne
'A ground-breaking book of enormous scope.' - Brian Schmidt, Nobel
Laureate in Physics
'A glimpse into Indigenous ways of reading landscapes reflected in the
night sky through ancient processes of inquiry.' - Dr Tyson Yunkaporta,
author of Sand Talk
'A wonderful combination of scholarship and poetry.' - Dr Annette S.
Lee, Lakota astrophysicist
'Beautiful, engaging, and startlingly profound.' - Alan Duffy,
Professor of Astrophysics
