It’s sometimes referred to as the Celestial Emu. 4 For many Aboriginal nations, from east coast to west and from the Top End to the south, it is the Dark Emu (Figure 2.2).

3 The Yolŋu people of north-east Arnhem Land see a crow. The Wardaman people of the Northern Territory see the Milky Way as the Rainbow Serpent, accompanied by the Sky Boss and Earth Lady. To astronomers, it’s an entire galaxy shrouded by space clouds, behind which hides a supermassive black hole. Different peoples see various creatures or places emerge from these features, each with its own meaning. The combination of light and dark creates an undeniable feature with which nothing else in the observable sky compares (Figure 2.1).

These uniquely shaped dark gaps are framed by a dazzling stellar spectacle. Among the bold, bright discs of light dwell pools of darkness.

As each day passes and winter approaches, the daylight reduces, and as the length of night grows, so too does the Milky Way’s presence in our skies. No one knew this better than the First Astronomers.ĭuring the late southern summer, the Milky Way’s dominating light takes prominence over the entire night sky. It’s here we get to know the sky in all of its complexities and subtleties. But if you’re far enough away from town, you will no longer see the dark but instead be overwhelmed by the light – point sources dancing and shimmering, performing an astonishing display in the vastness of the cosmos. If you’re close to town, you might see vast darkness with the occasional twinkle. On a moonless, cloudless night, away from the streetlights’ orange hum and the confines of tall buildings, the dazzling speckled infinite awaits. The story of the Celestial Emu exquisitely illustrates the holistic nature of Country and Indigenous knowledge systems. What we do in one part of Country affects all others. Land, Sea and Sky Country are all connected, so there is no such thing as ‘outer space’ or ‘outer Country’ – no outside. It also embraces the stars, Moon, Milky Way, solar winds and storms, and intergalactic plasma. As such, it is not only inappropriate but also impossible to truly learn about Indigenous astronomy without learning how the sky relates to the land, which all makes up what Indigenous peoples call Country – as captured by the Bawaka Country group in a 2020 paper:Ĭountry includes lands, seas, waters, rocks, animals, winds and all the beings that exist in and make up a place, including people. Viewing the world as interconnected is core to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems and communities. Look in the space between the stars, what do you see? 1

Closest word 2016 theme to celestial