Hello Peter, 

I'm just catching up on emails, so sorry for the delay.  You might like to check out a website that I helped create - it dealt with astronomy and aboriginal beliefs, interwoven throughout various sections.  The development team actually planned and prepared significantly more content than appears on the site, but due to various constraints had to be limited.  We involved various aboriginal communities in Canada (Blackfoot in Alberta; Cree and Anishinabe here in Manitoba) and also aboriginals in Australia and Torres Islands.



The site contains images, stories narrated by aboriginals, artist descriptions of their work, and tons of facts.  It was developed with youth as the primary audience, so has lots of interactions in a highly graphic, almost cartoony look.  You get to "drive" a lunar rover, and search for/pick up artifacts that bring you to various sections of the site.



Anyway, it might be worth a look... www.virtualmuseum.ca

Go to: VMC Exhibits

	Science and Nature

	Cosmic Quest: Discovering Astronomy through Science and Culture



or try this direct link: http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Cosmos/index_en.html



Best,

George Wurtak

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

[log in to unmask]





> -----Original Message-----

>

> 

> Date:    Thu, 30 Dec 2004 14:45:05 -0700

> From:    Peter Davis <[log in to unmask]>

> Subject: medicine wheels & astronomy

> 

>

> 

> I will most likely avoid bringing in medicine wheels as a major 

> element of the Native part of the Night Sky focus. It may be a good 

> opportunity to do a field trip and have a number of people listening 

> to a Native guide for a while.

> 

> Right now, I envision a Sky Story Telling by a Native around a 

> bonfire (in the freezing Canadian winter night - doesn't that sound 

> appetizing?). And a similar (or maybe joint?) event  could be 

> arranged with telling the ancient Greek stories behind the 

> constellations. I'd be quite happy to leave these stories as a 

> cultural, oral tradition and not to try to squeeze any science into 

> them. That can be done at a different event.

> 

> In any case, I very much look forward to working together with the 

> Natives in the area and I hope that this will work out.

> 

> Cheers and a happy new year to everybody,

> Peter Davis



End of ISEN-ASTC-L Digest - 29 Dec 2004 to 30 Dec 2004 (#2004-288)

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