Astronomy of Indigenous Australians - ATSI3006

This course will introduce students to the growing inter-discipline of cultural astronomy and explore the astronomical knowledge and traditions of Indigenous Australians. Students will learn about the history, development, theory, and methods of cultural astronomy, followed by a conceptual (non-mathematical) study of positional astronomy and celestial mechanics. Students will then learn about the various ways in which the sun, moon, and stars inform and guide Indigenous practices such as navigation, calendar development, and food economics, as well as social structure, marriage laws, and totem classes. Students will apply the methods and techniques of history, anthropology, and archaeology to critically analyse oral traditions and material culture in order to better understand the role and nature of astronomical knowledge in Australian Indigenous cultures. Students will undertake a project working with a museum curator or educator to develop educational materials, curate an exhibit, or develop a cultural astronomy program for an observatory, school, or museum.