Mount St Benedict College acknowledges and pays respect to the past and present Traditional Custodians and Elders of this Nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Ancestors have walked this Country and we acknowledge their special and unique place in our Nation’s historical, cultural and linguistic identity.
Visitors should be aware that this Research Guide may contain images or documentation relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are deceased.
Here are some books that you may find useful during your studies. Search the Bennies catalogue Accessit for more, or browse the Non-fiction collection NFS.
Astronomy : sky country
The First Astronomers by 
Lunar phases link to the changing tides, a relationship that is well established in Islander knowledge systems.
The Bardi people living at One Arm Point on the tip of the Dampier Peninsula north of Broome in the Kimberleys, Western Australia, use their extensive knowledge of the moon and tides to time activities such as the collection of valuable trochus shells and other fishing pursuits.
Scientists think they may have found the world's oldest astronomical map right here in Australia. The sacred Aboriginal site is believed to have been made to map the position of the sun, moon and stars in the sky. And studies suggest it might be old enough to predate some much more famous examples from overseas.
Tens of thousands of years ago, First Nations Australians looked up on pristine dark skies and formed a complex understanding of what the stars could tell humans about the land. This video explores the astronomical traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, whose observations may be the first forms of astronomy conducted worldwide. Informative and engaging, this is a great introduction to an important part of First Nations history and science.
Australia's First Nations people - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders - are the oldest astronomers and the oldest continuing cultures in the world. Australia's unique position in the Southern Hemisphere has provided unique opportunities for space research, allowing the country to recently launch several rockets into outer space. But have you ever been curious about how Indigenous Australians have been mapping the skies for thousands of years?
The Yolngu people of East Arnhem Land record the Moon’s connection to Earth and its effect on the tides. They teach that the Moon fills up and empties as it passes the horizon: the tides are high when the satellite is full or new and is setting or rising.
In most Aboriginal cultures, the Sun is a woman and the Moon is a man. Some Aboriginal communities describe the Sun woman pursuing the Moon man across the sky from day to day, occasionally meeting during an eclipse.
Two-way Science: An Integrated Learning Program for Aboriginal Desert Schools supports remote Indigenous schools and communities to develop integrated learning programs connecting the cultural knowledge of the local community with Western science and the Australian curriculum. A Two-way Science approach promotes Indigenous leadership in education, and fosters partnerships between schools, communities, Indigenous ranger programs and scientists. This book contains curriculum-linked education activities for primary and middle school students, and background knowledge for teachers, based on the desert regions of Australia.
We acknowledge the extraordinary contributions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have made, and continue to make, to our culture, the economy and science. We're working with Indigenous communities and organisations to create Indigenous-driven science solutions that support sustainable futures for Indigenous peoples, cultures and Country.