Under One Sky: Yesterday, Today and Forever

Gather around our Digital Campfire to explore Australian Indigenous Astronomy and be inspired to create an entry for this years Schools Reconciliation Challenge. For more than 60,000 years First Nations People have looked up at the sky, to understand the world around them. Using observations of the stars, planets, Moon, Sun and the atmosphere to predict weather changes & tides, to navigate on land & water and to plan food gathering, hunting, trading, ceremony as well as pass down stories through the generations. Looking up and reading the skies was, and still is, an important way to understand, interact with and develop connection to Country and know our place in the universe. The skies are also a source of magic, mystery and meaning told through dreaming stories of the creation of the sun and moon. Sharing stories under the stars is also a way of passing on Aboriginal lore to children, about family, traditions, culture and history. This session will be facilitated by Aunty Joanne, an Aboriginal woman born in Sydney on the land of the Gadigal people. Aunty Joanne grew up with stories of the Milky Way, shared by her mother, Elders and Community Knowledge Holders. The Schools Reconciliation Challenge is an annual art and writing competition, open to all young people in years 3–10, across NSW and the ACT. Entries are open from 15 Feb – 30 August, 2021 . This video conference will be held via a private Zoom connection. If your group is unable to attend the free Digital Campfire on 23 June, you can book your school in for the Australian Indigenous Astronomy video conference run by the Powerhouse Museum. This on-demand digital program is part of the Powerhouse Museum 2021 schools offer. Available Monday to Friday at 10am, 11am, midday, 1pm and 2pm. Please note that bookings will be facilitated by Aunty Joanne Selfe where possible, and at other times by Powerhouse Museum educators.