Astrophiz 144: ‘The First Astronomers’ with Associate Professor Duane Hamacher

Listen: https://soundcloud.com/astrophiz/astrophiz144-the-first-astronomers-duanehamacher

Duane is based in the School of Physics at the University of Melbourne and is part of the ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3D. This episode covers Duane’s entry into science and culture then his journey as a graduate from the University of Missouri-Columbia who ventured down to Sydney Australia to do his Masters Degree by Research followed by his Doctorate in Cultural Astronomy at Macquarie University, and without too many spoilers on his magnificent book, we cover his epic adventure into Indigenous Astronomy which represents 14 years of research and 4 years of writing for Duane and the co-authors he worked with.

With Allen & Unwin, this amazing newly-released  book is called ‘The First Astronomers ~ How Indigenous Elders read the Stars’ which he co-authored with 6 First Nations Elders and Knowledge Holders, including Yuwaalaraay Senior Law Man Ghillar Michael Anderson, who is the only surviving member and one of the founders of the original Aboriginal Tent Embassy outside Parliament in Canberra, which still proudly stands there 50 years later.

Co-authors are Ghillar Michael Anderson, John Barsa, David Bosun, Ron Day, Segar Passi, Alo Tapim.

‘The First Astronomers’ demolishes the commonly held views that Indigenous ways of knowing do not contain science. Enjoy!