Solar eclipses are captivating. We gathered in an Oregon field on August 21, 2017, after traveling hundreds of miles to see totality. As the Moon moved in front of the Sun, the light dimmed and changed. It was like the planet held its breath at totality. Birds stopped singing, conversations ceased, and the air chilled. Even the wind slowed. That moment brought me serenity and amazement.
After the moment, everyone applauded as the Sun returned. I observed many individuals crying. It touched us all in ways we couldn’t explain. Our best interpretation was that we briefly felt connected to the Universe via nature.
Solar eclipses are rare (approximately once every 18 months) because the Moon doesn’t circle in the same plane as the Sun and Earth. To view one, the Sun, new Moon, and Earth must be in a straight line (with the Moon between them) and you must be at a place that lines up with them. A total eclipse covers the sun with the new Moon’s shadow. An annular eclipse, like the one that will span North, Central, and South America on October 14, 2023, occurs when the new Moon is furthest from Earth, so its shadow doesn’t hide the sun and a thin “ring of fire” rings its outline.
The technical explanation of an eclipse from Western science doesn’t convey the feeling of seeing it in person. Other cultures see the occurrences as holy and represent them in myths and stories, giving them more significance. Hilding Neilson, an astronomer and Qalipu Mi’kmaq First Nation member, says that typical academic research loses our connection to nature by concentrating on facts and data.
Neilson, a Memorial University professor in Newfoundland, realized this missed viewpoint when his astrophysics coursework didn’t cover Indigenous astronomy. While learning how a star creates energy is important, he thinks science should also include information from ancient peoples. He started researching.
However, many Indigenous tribes forbid viewing eclipses since gazing at the sun may permanently harm your eyes. A traditional belief was that eclipses might create physical and spiritual issues. Cherokees, who believed a supernatural frog was attempting to consume the Sun, thought eclipses were scary.
The Stoney Nakoda people in Alberta, Canada, thought solar eclipses were omens and a time to prepare. All visitation to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in Arizona will be banned during the 14 October eclipse. They utilize solar eclipses for regeneration, introspection, and prayer.
Indigenous guides are seldom available during solar eclipses. An Indigenous astronomy experience may alter tourists, says Sherry Rupert, CEO of Aianta, the American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Tourism Association. She believes these astronomy encounters are significant because many of us have lost our connection to the sky. “I think people forget to take the time to really look up, other than when they hear an airplane go by,” Rupert
.
It is possible that a solar eclipse may cause people to glance upwards; nevertheless, she proposes that we rebuild our connection to the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars in order to preserve the sense of connectedness that we had during totality. “It’s amazing when visitors go out with a Native guide and hear stories of how the stars and the Moon affect the plants, the animals, the water and, essentially, our very being,” according to Rupert. “It gives them a different perspective on life and can change someone’s journey through the world.”
There are certain indigenous skywatching experiences that focus on traditional skills and tales; however, the combination of Western academic study with indigenous knowledge is in the process of transforming both science and tourism that is led by indigenous people. Etuaptmumk, also known as Mi’kmaw two-eyed seeing, encourages people to see the world from both sides of their eyes. Métis Crossing is a cultural interpretive institution located in Alberta. According to Lilyrose Meyers, the Knowledge Holder at Métis Crossing, visitors have the opportunity to connect with the sky in a new way by mixing traditional Métis knowledge and oral history with modern equipment and academic literature.
At Métis Crossing, visitors have the opportunity to use telescopes provided by the Edmonton Royal Astronomical Society to get an understanding of how the Métis people used the stars for the purposes of determining direction, navigation, time, and calendaring. “We’d use the heavens to time hunts and know when to harvest plants and berries,” according to Meyers. It was also possible for sky stories to teach values or safeguard children. “Children were told the Northern Lights were dancing ancestors who would pick them up if they strayed too far from camp,” according to her.
Neilson, who employs two-eyed vision to indigenousize astronomy, believes that the total eclipse that will occur on April 8, 2024 will pass across Newfoundland, but that the eclipse that will occur on October 14, 2024 will not. When visitors attend the Gander eclipse viewing event, they will learn about the eclipse through the lens of Western science as well as Indigenous beliefs and traditions.
“This is the only part of the solar system where you can actually see a total solar eclipse,” said the scientist. “And maybe seeing these two giant celestial objects passing in front of one other can remind us to do a better job of relating to and caring for the Earth.”
