3 June 2004

Speaker: Jarita Holbrook (BARA - University of Arizona)

Title: Cultural Astronomy of Africa

Abstract: Like people all over the world, Africans have a long history of observing and trying to understand the workings of the heavens. Though many African cultures did not have writing systems, their understandings of the night sky have been preserved and passed on through stories, art, dance, and artifacts, sometimes in unexpected and complex ways. Focusing on specific ethnic groups, this talk is a survey of some of the ways that Africans have woven their knowledge of the night sky into their cultures.

References for students: