1. Earth and Sky from a Tribal Perspective
Bringing Together Science and Culture
At the 2010 Miami Nation of Indiana camp held at the Indiana Dunes, tribal youth examined how the tools of planetary science – geology and astronomy – overlap with traditional knowledge of our Earth and sky.
Planetary scientist and Miami Tribe member Tim McCoy spoke withTribal youth about science, the way scientists think, and how traditional knowledge embedded in language and culture mesh with scientific ways of knowing.
Students examined rocks and made a rock collection labeled in their traditional language (myaamia), while learning how rocks hold clues about evidence for water and how scientists are using those clues to explore Mars.
Students experienced the night sky from a distinctly Miami perspective, using a modified planetarium program that projected traditional myaamia constellations and star names, even getting a chance to see what that sky would look like from the perspective of the Mars rovers!
The event was attended by ~30 tribal members, including Tribal leadership who are encouraging youth to explore science as a career.
This Research is Supported by NASA grant NNX07AR76G