Dream time
Australian Indigenous Legends and Science teachings.

 

In 2005 when I wrote this page not much Australian Indigenous sky 'study' was considered 'common knowledge' in mainstream media, now things have changed.

I'm delighted to be probably one of (if not) the first to give credit where it was long overdue and that the 'First Australians' where indeed practicing the 'science of Astronomy'... You can find articals written by people who have put vast amounts of energy into the research of this topic and the findings are astounding, enriching the culture of humans as a clever species, all starting back with our local mobs and their ancestors...

Cam wylie

During our tours of the Outback we often meet people indigenous to places in this great southern land.

We learned that Aboriginal lore tells of legends and stories that explain our indigenous hosts ways of interpreting the natural world around us.
These teachings are not freely shared among us, as some are considered "secret business", we accept this way and offer no judgement of their "law".
We are grateful to be able to share with you some commonly known stories and if you believe that reading the seasons and the gifts they bring, by the stars is a science then we must offer our respect and honour the fact that the Australian indigenous people have been practicing this science (Astronomy) for over 80.000 years.

For us, only recently it became understood that astronomy is a serious part of the "Aboriginal culture", not only do they look up in wonder as we do but they have married the movement of the cosmos to the Earth and use it as a guide to seasonal emergence of "bush tucker" availability, like fruits, eggs and animal migrations. The indigenous people here kept cosmic records (literally carved in stone) and there is even what looks like a tide and moon calendar documented the same way. They clearly "studied the sky".
There is still so much "we" just don't know, they offer us new examples in the old ways.

Here, we have posted various widely known sky lore of the indigenous people of Australia, the first astronomers this land ever saw..... ADU.

Please choose a link below.....

 

Emus Head

The Big Emu running across the night sky as winter closes in on us...

(you can make out the 'Southern cross' at the right in the image.)

Please Choose a Catagory;   The Emu  |   The Shark and the Stingray  |   The Seven Sisters  |   Back to start...