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Most tribes have important traditional connections to the stars and other celestial bodies in the night sky. But increasing encroachment from artificial lights is diminishing those connections. A handful of tribes are supporting a dark skies initiative to preserve what night sky visibility is left and promoting methods to limit light pollution. In the process, they’re raising awareness of their own night sky traditions.
GUESTS
S.D. Nelson (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe), author and illustrator of children’s books
Travis Novitsky (Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa), nature photographer
Daniel Bulletts, cultural resource director for the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians and director of the Southern Paiute Consortium
Break 1 Music: Standing Rock (feat. Nick Ørbæk Jacobsen) (song) Uyarakq (artist) Miseraq (album)
Break 2 Music: Sweet Salvation (song) Wayne Garner (artist) School for Savages (album)
Paper illustration by S.D. Nelson for the book, Grandma’s Tipi: A Present-Day Lakota Story. (Courtesy S.D. Nelson)
Thank you so much for this enlightening discussion! I’m from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where there is way too much light. Because of that many of us enjoy going to Grand Portage,Grand Marais areas. Thanksuch to Travis Novitsky who has contributed so much to this area!