Emu Dreaming: An Introduction to Australian Aboriginal Astronomy

The art and traditions of Aboriginal Australia draw on 40,000 years experience of gazing into the richness of unpolluted skies from pristine lands. They include the “emu in the sky” constellation of dark clouds, and stories about the Sun, Moon, and the Seven Sisters. Several Aboriginal groups use the rising and setting of particular stars to show when to harvest a food source. Some explain how the tides are caused by the Moon, and even explain eclipses as a conjunction of the Sun and Moon. This book explores the mystical Aboriginal astronomical stories and traditions, and the way in which they are used for practical applications such as navigation and harvesting. It describes the journey of exploration that’s currently opening Western eyes to this treasury of ancient Aboriginal knowledge, and is written by two active researchers in the field: Prof. Ray Norris (an astrophysicist with CSIRO, and an Adjunct Professor at the Dept. of Indigenous Studies, Macquarie University), and his wife Cilla. In this book, Ray and Cilla bring you the results of their 6-year quest to research Aboriginal Astronomy, including: * uncovering little-known manuscripts, * visiting Aboriginal sites throughout Australia, * writing down stories from ancient communities. Few outsiders understand the depth and complexity of Aboriginal cultures. This book will give you a glimpse that will change your ideas about Aboriginal society.