Chaco Astronomies

LÓPEZ, ALEJANDRO MARTÍN

Honolulu

Congreso; Division Meeting de la división C de la Unión Astronómica Internacional (IAU), en la sesión DC.6 ?Cultural Astronomy?, en el marco de la XXIX Asamblea General de la Unión Astronómica Internacional (IAU); 2015

Unión Astronómica Internacional (IAU)

This presentation discusses the result of 18 years of ethnographic and ethnohistorical studies on Chaco astronomies.The main features of the systems of astronomical knowledge of the Chaco Aboriginal groups will be discussed. In particular we will discuss the relevance of the Milky Way, the role of the visibility of the Pleiades, the ways in which the celestial space is represented, the constitution of astronomical orientations in geographic space, etc. We also address a key feature of their vision of the cosmos: the universe is seen by these groups as a socio-cosmos, where humans and non-humans are related. These are therefore actually socio-cosmologies. We will link this to the theories of Chaco Aboriginal groups about power and political relations.We will discuss how the study of Aboriginal astronomies must be performed along with the studies about astronomies of Creole people and European migrants, as well as anthropological studies about the science teaching in the formal education system and by the mass media. In this form we will discuss the relevance of a very complex system of interethnic relations for the conformation of these astronomical representations and practices.We will also discuss the general methodological implications of this case for the ethnoastronomy studies. In particular we will talk about the advantages of a study of regional scope and about the key importance of put in contact the ethnoastronomy with contemporary issues in social sciences.We also analyze the importance of ethnoastronomy studies in relation to studies of sociology of science, especially astronomy. We also study the potential impact on improving formal and informal science curricula and in zapping effective policies to protect the tangible and intangible astronomical heritage in a context of respect for the rights of Aboriginal groups.