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Hello,

I am currently thinking about how to bring a Native perspective to 
Night Sky interpretation. One possibility might be to feature 
Medicine Wheels. There are several in the area where I live: Southern 
Alberta. However, I am not so sure whether this is a good idea after 
all. After some research on (Stonehenge and) Medicine Wheels it 
appears to me that the claims on archaeo-astronomy are very 
controversial within the archaological community. I am not sure I 
want to brush over these controversies and present Medicine Wheels as 
of sophisticated, astronomical significance.  I'd be much more 
comfortable if there were an approach to Medicine Wheels through 
members of local Native tribes. However, at least in Southern 
Alberta, Medicine Wheels seem to come from an era when different 
Native tribes were roaming this area and so knowledge on the why's 
and how's of Medicine Wheels can not be tapped through the local 
Native community.  The final word on this is not yet spoken as I yet 
have to talk to more people in the Native community to find out what 
their take on the Medicine Wheels is.

I am wondering whether anybody has featured medicine wheels as part 
of astronomy interpretation. What was your experience? What are your 
thoughts on my above concerns? Have you managed to link the rock 
formations to the current traditional knowledge of Native tribes?

Any thoughts and comments would be greatly appreciated,
Peter Davis

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