Native American Skies: The View from Down Under

Last Sunday we watched the very popular new show, Cosmos, which is a remake of the famous Carl Sagan series from the 1980’s.  In this episode, the astronomer Haley sailed south to chart the stars of the southern hemisphere in the 1600’s.  Have you ever wondered what the sky down under looks like?  Do they see any of the same constellations we see at night?

Well, actually, they see most of the same constellations we do, but sort of upside down.  Here are snapshots from my amateur astronomy software, Starry Night.

This is a preview of Native American Skies: The View from Down Under. Read the full post (586 words, 8 images, estimated 2:21 mins reading time)

 

 

--Courtney Miller

Native American Skies: Perceiving Spring

Native American Skies: Perceiving Spring

 

Twice a year, a day comes along where the length of daylight equals the length of darkness.  Today we call that day the “equinox”.  We recognize the vernal equinox as the first day of spring and the autumnal equinox as the first day of fall.  These two days have always been important indicators for man since even ancient times.

Before Europeans came to America, Native Americans did not have bankers, insurance agents, or real estate agents so where did they get their calendars?  How did they know when spring or fall arrived?  They had someone more important to them than our bankers or agents are to us, they had astronomers.

 

This is a preview of Native American Skies: Perceiving Spring. Read the full post (830 words, 6 images, estimated 3:19 mins reading time)

 

 

--Courtney Miller

Native American Skies: Sacred Caves of Machu Picchu

“Suddenly, without any warning, under a huge overhanging ledge the boy showed me a cave beautifully lined with the finest cut stone.  It had evidently been a royal mausoleum.  On top of this particular ledge was a semicircular building whose outer wall, gently sloping and slightly curved, bore a striking resemblance to the famous Temple of the Sun in Cuzco.”  Hiram Bingham’s first encounter with Machu Picchu in 1911, was the mausoleum cave and the Temple of the Sun or Torreon built above it. 

 

 

This is a preview of Native American Skies: Sacred Caves of Machu Picchu. Read the full post (964 words, 6 images, estimated 3:51 mins reading time)

 

 

Native American Skies: Machu Picchu Obelisk

“In the variety of its charms and the power of its spell, I know of no place in the world which can compare with it.  Not only has it great snow peaks looming above the clouds more than two miles overhead and gigantic precipices of many-coloured granite rising sheer for thousands of feet above the foaming, glistening, roaring rapids, it has also, in striking contrast, orchids and tree ferns, the delectable beauty of luxurious vegetation, and the mysterious witchery of the jungle.  One is drawn irresistibly onward by ever-recurring surprises through a deep, winding gorge, turning and twisting past overhanging cliffs of incredible height.”

 

This is a preview of Native American Skies: Machu Picchu Obelisk. Read the full post (738 words, 6 images, estimated 2:57 mins reading time)

 

--Courtney Miller

 

 

Catch me Friday, March 21, at the Library Community room,

West Custer County Library, Westcliffe, Co. ,

Enjoy light refreshments while listening to “Native American Skies,” an introduction into how ancient Native Americans understood the “phenomena in the sky” and the role it played in their culture.  I will also be signing my book, “The First Raven Mocker.”

Ancient Art: Decoding Rock Art

 
Courtney Miller
Throughout the southwest, Native Americans have left images pecked or painted on canyon walls, caves and large stones.  Like so many others, I wonder whether these images represent stories or just graffiti.  Were the artists just doodling in their idle time, or were they leaving a message for their friends and posterity?
I am convinced that most of the petroglyphs and pictographs were, in fact, messages and stories.  I say this because although there are many recognizable depictions of animals, people, reptiles, etc., that could be just random doodling by bored children or adults to pass the time,  there are also many abstract symbols that, like our alphabet, have no likeness in nature and therefore must represent a common concept.

This is a preview of Ancient Art: Decoding Rock Art. Read the full post (627 words, 5 images, estimated 2:30 mins reading time)

Native Americans of the Northwest: Chinook Winds

Chinook Wind

My wife and I lived in Denver, Colorado for many years and occasionally experienced a phenomenon called the “Chinook Wind”.   These winds,  blowing over the Rocky Mountain Front Range, could actually raise the temperature from below freezing to 50 degrees Fahrenheit in just a few hours.  Chinook winds can occur in many areas of western North America and certainly are not unique to Colorado.  In fact, the term and the original Chinook winds originated in the northwestern coastal area.

The term “Chinook” comes from the Pacific Coast Chinook tribe that lived along the lower

This is a preview of Native Americans of the Northwest: Chinook Winds. Read the full post (732 words, 5 images, estimated 2:56 mins reading time)

 

Courtney Miller

Native Americans of the Northwest: The Potlatch

Passing out gifts at a Potlatch

Imagine being invited to the house of the wealthiest person in town so that he could demonstrate his wealth by giving away expensive and prized gifts.   The Native Americans of the Northwest called this a “Potlatch” and it was practiced “religiously” before the Russians, British, and Americans moved in.

This is a preview of Native Americans of the Northwest: The Potlatch. Read the full post (712 words, 5 images, estimated 2:51 mins reading time)

 

Courtney Miller