Author: Javier Mejuto Gonzalez
Affiliation:
[1]Archaeoastronomy and Cultural Astronomy Department, Space Sciences Faculty, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras, Honduras.
[2]Centre for Astrophysics, School of Agricultural, Computational and Environmental Sciences at University of Southern Queensland, Australia.
Country: Honduras
Co-Author(s)
Duane W. Hamacher
Affiliation: School of Physics, University of Melbourne
Country: Australia
Carla Guedes
Affiliation: University of New South Wales
Country: Australia
Title: ROLE OF CULTURAL ASTRONOMY IN RESPECTING INDIGENOUS ASTRONOMIES
Cultural astronomy is the academic study of astronomical systems in current and ancient societies and cultures, linking archaeological and ethnological contexts in relation to material culture and intangible heritage. The scholarly approach to researching the structures of thought and knowledge of various cultures allows us to better understand the social reality of that culture and seek ways of collaborating to preserve, promote, and apply that knowledge for the benefit of that community.
In this paper, we describe the role of Cultural Astronomy in the study of Indigenous knowledge and how we can work together collaboratively for the benefit of Indigenous communities. Western astronomy suffers from a lack of understanding about Indigenous Knowledge and its inherent value in a cultural and scientific context, often promoting misconceptions or pushing agendas that serve to benefit Western astronomy over the needs and desires of the Indigenous community [2,3]. A contemporary example of this is the heated debate and protests surrounding the development of Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) on Mauna Kea in Hawaii[1].
Appropriate collaboration between non-Indigenous scientists and Indigenous stakeholders, as well as appropriate cultural training for scientists, will provide pathways for promoting and valuing Indigenous astronomical knowledge for the development of astronomy within the parameters of inclusion and equity.
References:
[1]: Martin Lopez, A. (2018) “Peoples lnocking on heaven’s doors”. Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 18, No 4, pp. 461-468.
[2]: Sawyer, S. and Terence Gomez, E. (2012) “The Politics of Resource Extraction: Indigenous Peoples, Multinational Corporations and the State”, New York, Palgrave Macmillan.
[3]: Steele, J.M. (2015) “Astronomy and Politics” in Handbook of Archaeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy, C.Ruggles (Ed.), Vol.1, New York, Springer Science and Business Media, pp. 93-101.