The Astronomy of the Kamilaroi and Euahlayi Peoples and Their Neighbours By Robert Stevens Fuller A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts at Macquarie University for the degree of Master of Philosophy November 2014 © Robert Stevens Fuller i I certify that the work in this thesis entitled “The Astronomy of the Kamilaroi and Euahlayi Peoples and Their Neighbours” has not been previously submitted for a degree nor has it been submitted as part of requirements for a degree to any other university or institution other than Macquarie University. I also certify that the thesis is an original piece of research and it has been written by me. Any help and assistance that I have received in my research work and the preparation of the thesis itself has been appropriately acknowledged. In addition, I certify that all information sources and literature used are indicated in the thesis. The research presented in this thesis was approved by Macquarie University Ethics Review Committee reference number 5201200462 on 27 June 2012. Robert S. Fuller (42916135) ii This page left intentionally blank Contents Contents .................................................................................................................................... iii Dedication ................................................................................................................................ vii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................... ix Publications ............................................................................................................................... xi Journal Papers ..................................................................................................................................... xi Abstract ................................................................................................................................... xiii Preface ...................................................................................................................................... xv List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ xvii List of Tables .......................................................................................................................... xix Chapter 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1. Background ................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2. Literature Study and Working with the Community .............................................................. 6 1.1.4. Hypotheses ............................................................................................................................. 9 1.2. Thesis Structure ........................................................................................................................... 10 1.3. Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 11 1.4. Considering this Thesis ................................................................................................................ 13 Chapter 2 Astronomical Orientations of Bora Ceremonial Grounds in Southeast Australia ... 15 2.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 15 2.1.1. Bora Ceremonial Grounds .................................................................................................... 16 2.1.2. Anthropological Support of an Astronomical Connection ................................................... 17 2.1.3. Testing the Hypothesis ......................................................................................................... 19 2.2. Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 22 2.3. Results & Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 24 2.4. Discussion & Conclusion.............................................................................................................. 30 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................ 30 Postface .............................................................................................................................................. 31 Chapter 3 The Astronomy of the Kamilaroi People and their Neighbours .............................. 33 3.1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 33 3.1.1. Recording the culture of the Kamilaroi ................................................................................ 35 3.1.2. Archaeoastronomy and cultural astronomy ........................................................................ 36 3.1.3. Expectation of finding knowledge of Kamilaroi cultural astronomy.................................... 37 3.2. Methodology ............................................................................................................................... 38 3.2.1. Literature review .................................................................................................................. 38 iii iv 3.2.2. Ethnographic research ......................................................................................................... 38 3.2.3. Data Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 39 3.2.4. Giving back ........................................................................................................................... 40 3.4. Results ......................................................................................................................................... 40 3.4.1. Results of the literature study ............................................................................................. 40 3.4.2. Results of the ethnographic story collection ....................................................................... 41 3.4.3. Reference Group reviews and the hypotheses ................................................................... 41 3.4.4. Selection of combined database ......................................................................................... 42 3.4.5. Analysis of the stories .......................................................................................................... 43 3.4.5.1. The Milky Way .............................................................................................................. 44 3.4.5.2. The Emu in the Sky ....................................................................................................... 46 3.4.5.3. The Kangaroo/Crocodiles in the Sky ............................................................................. 48 3.4.5.4. The Magellanic Clouds .................................................................................................. 50 3.4.5.5. The Southern Cross and the Pointers ........................................................................... 51 3.4.5.6. The Pleiades star cluster ............................................................................................... 53 3.4.5.7. Scorpius (the constellation) .......................................................................................... 57 3.4.5.8. Orion (the constellation) .............................................................................................. 61 3.4.5.9. The Sun ......................................................................................................................... 62 3.4.5.10. The Moon.................................................................................................................... 63 3.4.5.11. Jupiter (the planet) ..................................................................................................... 65 3.4.5.12. Venus (the planet) ...................................................................................................... 66 3.4.5.13. Meteors ...................................................................................................................... 68 3.5. Discussion ................................................................................................................................... 69 3.5.1. Background of the stories .................................................................................................... 69 3.5.2. “What’s up there is down here” .......................................................................................... 70 3.5.3. Sky knowledge of the Kamilaroi and their neighbours ........................................................ 71 3.5.4. Ethnoscientific knowledge of the sky .................................................................................. 72 Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................... 73 Postface ............................................................................................................................................