Abstract:
Indigenous Star Knowledge is based on centuries of careful observation as a scientific practice and method of wayfinding and is deeply rooted in place and in spirit. A series of four sky watching sessions will introduce kids to an Indigenous view of the sky through observation, stories, crafts and hands-on, sensory activities. The program is modeled on parts of the Ojibwe Medicine Wheel and walks us through a year of four seasons, facing four directions, seeking out four sky objects – a planet, a full moon, stars, and constellations – relying on the Ojibwe sky maps generated by Native Skywatchers organization. Suggested extensions of the program encourage kids to incorporate this knowledge into their own lives and explore sustainability issues like light pollution. Indigenous education focuses on whole person learning and this program aims to do the same while sparking curiosity and a sense of awe in kids when they look up into the night sky.
Vicki Stevenson:
Vicki Stevenson lives by a lake and manages Rideau Lakes Public Library in rural Eastern Ontario, traditional unceded territory of the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Huron-Wendats. Public library work is her passion; especially sharing stories with kids, running programs, and children’s literature. She and her partner of many years raised their two kids to love books. Always learning, she is currently enrolled in the online MLIS program at University of Alberta.
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