At the Society’s Monthly meeting, Duane Hamacher will discuss the complexity and longevity of Palawa star knowledge. Aboriginal Tasmanians have been observing the stars and incorporating this knowledge into oral graditions for well over 12,000 years, before Tasmania was ever an island. Traditions recorded by George A. Robinson and others reveal complex layers of star knowledge that describe the stars being used to mark time, predict seasonal change, forecast weather, and narrate social lessons. We also find clear evidence that ancient Palawa traditions record the positions of stars as they would have appeared in the sky at the end of the last Ice Age.
The talk will be followed by an informal tea and coffee break and a short presentation of the night sky highlights for the coming month.
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