Well good evening everyone and welcome to the 2021 Virtual Grand Canyon Star Party, I’m ranger
Rader Lane, National Park Service coordinator for the event. And for 31 years running Grand Canyon
has been celebrating our pristine night skies through the annual Grand Canyon Star Party. Now
ordinarily we invite hundreds of astronomers and thousands upon thousands of visitors to the park
to enjoy eight nights of some of the darkest night skies in the United States. Each evening is kicked
off with a special guest speaker in our theater followed by telescope viewing constellation tours,
night sky photography workshops, and much much more. Now next year's Grand Canyon Star Party
will hopefully be on site and that's going to be June 18th through the 25th, 2022,
so mark your calendars and cross your fingers that will be able to celebrate that uh on site.
This year we are again doing a virtual Grand Canyon Star Party and we're really excited
we have a host of incredible speakers uh this year and before we introduce our guest speaker
tonight I just want to thank a few entities uh for help putting on the event. One, the Grand Canyon
Conservancy, now they're the park's official non-profit partner. The International Dark Sky
Association--they're the entity that certified Grand Canyon National Park as an International
Dark Sky Park back in 2019. I'd like to thank the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association,
they are the group that will be hosting the virtual telescope viewing sessions throughout
the week and are also here on site every single year to show visitors the wonders of the night sky
on a volunteer basis. And finally, the Society for Cultural Astronomy in the American Southwest,
an entity that helped organize many of our special guest speakers for this year. Finally, stay tuned
for our virtual telescope viewing sessions premiering right after this talk right here
and with that I want to introduce tonight's special guest speaker. Tonight,
we are honored to have Autumn Gillard. Autumn is a descendant of the Cedar Band of Paiutes from
the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah on her maternal side. She is currently working at Pipe Spring
National Monument as an intern. and Autumn is the author of the Pipe Spring National Monument dark
sky application and is a student at Southern Utah University majoring in Anthropology and minoring
in Psychology. She gained her passion for the dark sky from her cultural connections taught to her by
her mother and her grandmother. Autumn, thanks so much for joining us tonight and take it away.
Hi guys, thanks for joining us. So let's go ahead and get into this presentation. Um I hope you guys
really like what I put together tonight. Uh it's gonna be some pretty great information,
new information that was newly rediscovered within the Southern Paiute Nation,
um so as ranger Rader mentioned my name's Autumn, I’m a descendant of the Cedar Band of Paiutes
from the Paiute Indian tribe of Utah and this astronomy project that we've been working on at
Pipe Spring to incorporate the Southern Paiutes has been about two years in the making so this
is just some of the research that gathered and like I mentioned researched once again.
So just a little bit about me um as Rader mentioned I’m a current anthropology major
psychology minor at Southern Utah University so I do work as a seasonal interpretive ranger at
Pipe Spring National Monument and this season I will be Pipe Springs very first dark sky ranger.
Um so we're going to get a lot of more dark sky programs in the works this year for 2021. Um
and I did as Rader mentioned gain passion for the sky through my cultural teachings
from my mother and grandmother. So before I get into the information about the dark sky I
want to do a little bit of a disclaimer--so not all information of the night I will be
shared tonight. Some traditional knowledge must be kept for only the Southern Paiutes.
This is to help in the protection and preservation of cultural knowledge.
And another mention is if you work in areas where you speak about Southern Paiute star stories
please do not tell them out of the winter season and even then try to connect to the Paiute people.
Our knowledge is best shared for those a part of our own culture and I also might not be able
to answer all questions since some information is private and because we are out of winter season.
So let's get into it--native people as astronomers.
So since the beginning of people's existence upon North America
we've been scientists. So this includes astronomy work, botany work, hydrology, architecture,
and many other fields. It was through our traditional knowledge and teachings that we
achieved the ability to be scientists. Before your Americans arrive to the continent our scientific
views are critical for teaching our children that we do have a place in fields related to science
so interpretation of the solar system from a Native American mindset and this is something
that I think is really important to people is that when our viewpoint of things such as this
incorporate two parts of us and this is our traditional cultural knowledge along with the new
Americanized version of what science is and so the ability to do this um creates opportunities
these interpretive opportunities to be able to teach people outside of our cultures.
So like I mentioned to view and translate the sky to two different sets we do need
knowledge of traditional stories in order to translate this information.
The importance of cultural connection to all of creations of our universe and understanding that
you are a part of a whole circle that continues to move in energy most importantly establish a
connection to our ancestors contemporary native people I think this was the driving force
with this project for southern Paiute astronomy is really really wanted to solidify
that connection to our ancestors and what they saw in the sky when they looked up.
So how did this research begin--um it began with a revitalization of southern Paiute astronomy
through a research program by Pipe Springs National Monument but it
was also in cooperation with the Zion Forever Project and the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians.
If it was not for three entities we would not be able to give this information would not have
the funding to gather it and complete research so thank you to them. The main idea was to
collect star information that is important to the preservation of cultural knowledge for current and
future generations of the Southern Paiute Nation with the collected information could help create
a Southern Paiute star chart or a new solar system as seen through our ancestors eyes.
So here in the photo you see myself did you see my dark sky intern um 2019. She is a Kaibab
Paiute tribal member her name is Mary Hill and she was also a big big help and it was
my pleasure working with her and just seeing her passion grow every day for our dark sky.
So the mythology of the research collected in the past--so 1950s was collected in a
manner of ethnography work lots of oral history interviews oral interviews and engagement and
tangible experiences to translate into cultural understanding. So this work was often done by
anthropologists and archaeologists but there posed an issue when we were looking at this information.
And the problem was is that some of the past work was translated from a euro-American mindset and at
times shifted to the views of American society. You have traditional star stories that would get
recorded but they would be changed and traditional wording would be turned around like I said to
understand your American mindsets so kind of muddling through that and getting to
the main point was another hurdle that we faced but it was interesting to see how two
cultures were interacting at such an early age. So literature that was used for reference--um is this
here this is called the Why the North Star Stands Still and it is written by William Palmer and it
serves as one of the only published books with the southern Paiute star story. So contributions to
this book come from my great grandmother Clara Zuniga and uncle Isaac Honga. So I guess it's
always been in my genes to look up at the sky and translate what I see. Um but other literature used
for reference was the Anthropology of the Numa which is a manuscript of John Wesley Powell’s interactions
with the native's on the Colorado Plateau. You also have the field notes from anthropologist Isabel
Kelly and Isabel Kelly was really great in how she recorded southern Paiute star information
um and she mainly worked with the Moapa Band of Paiutes and the Las Vegas Band of Paiutes.
So it was also interesting as we were going this research because we were able to see
each southern band had their own view of the dark sky and sometimes constellations
shifted in how they saw them. Why is the cultural connection of the to the Southern Paiute?
Well like many cultures across the globe the idea of being connected to something larger on
a universal level is a part of culturally aware of who we are as Southern Paiute people.
The interpretation of the sky encourages the development of songs dances, ceremonies and life
skills, such as agriculture. The sky also serves a purpose for one of the most sacred parts of
our life cycle as Paiute people--it is the map to our path to the spirit world when we pass away.
So these views can be crucial connection to the history of coyote and his children
as well as the path of the spirit world or the Milky Way and Pleiades.
So how does the night sight influence the life of the Southern Paiutes?
It does this by circle dance songs and dances. Southern Paiute people are well known for our
circle dance skills and our circle dance song skills. So during certain full moons or eclipses
this would be a traditional time to hold circle dance ceremonies and agricultural planting methods
would be related to the first full moon in June. This signifies that the monsoon season.
Related to daily life such rising in the morning to greet the morning star or ??? and the sun
ceremony such as the ??? dance and the ??? ceremony also have relationship to Venus and signifies the stuff
of these ceremonies. So the horizon line and the Milky Way hold connections to the path to the spirit world
so these are very very sacred connections here with the horizon line and the Milky Way. and I want
to mention that it is when the sun is setting and you're looking out on the horizon and you see when
the sun meets the horizon you have that nice dark red line that is the opening to the spirit world.
And the stars are home for some of the influential spirits of the southern Paiute world.
so let's jump into some constellation information-- so constellations in the Paiute universe.
Constellations within the southern Paiute world are related to traditional stories that
help the development of the perception of the earth from a southern Paiute's
personal perspective the constellations are also related to winter stories and
are traditionally not told out of the winter season. Constellations can be discussed out of
the winter season but the story connected to that constellation must only be told in the winter.
So the first constellation that I wanted to talk about is the north star or Polaris also known
as the bighorn sheep to the southern Paiute people. Polaris is in the constellation of Ursa Minor
and is known in the universe or the southern Paiute universe as the bighorn sheep who
climbed too high and became stuck in the sky. The creator then placed him as the north star
to guide the travelers. So the north star serves a very important purpose because he
creates a connection for the southern Paiute people between the creator showing that our creator had
connection to his children and he loves them just as much as we love ours here in the physical world.
So the next constellation is Orion the Hunter. So Orion is as the hunter, the bow stretched out
faced his prey. and first appearance of Orion was also a sign of the start of winter and related to
the first winter full moon in November. So once this constellation began to show in the sky
this is when our ancestors knew winter is here, we need to start preparing start
getting those caches even more fulfilled than they were fulfilled in the warmer months.
So Taurus the Bull, um seen as the antelope in the southern Paiute universe.
I thought this one was very interesting when we were doing our research because here you have
the ancient Greeks viewing Taurus as a bull or a horned animal and here ocean and worlds away
our ancestors saw a horned animal as well. So here the great antelope also holds the constellation
the Pleiades cluster and this cluster is highly revered constellation in the Paiute solar system.
So Pleiades, the Seven Sisters, um referred to as the rabbit nest, or So Nee
in southern Paiute, means like a safe place or a whole place.
This constellation is home to coyotes children and the coyote is facing the constellation Pleiades
so he is begging and crying because his family is away from him. But it is also home to coyotes
most beautiful daughter, which is the brightest star, Alcyone, she is the helping guard for those
that have passed on to reach the spirit world. And the Moon-- Moon holds a very significant connection
to the southern Paiute world and universe. The Moon is connected to women and our cycles, she is
wife to the Sun, connected to many facets of the Paiute life--songs, dances, ceremonies and agriculture.
And she actually also helps break up the seasons between the southern Paiute world
and shows the shifts of how these constellations are changing throughout the year.
So I wanted to take some time to show some thanks and appreciation for some of the entities that
assisted with the in Pipe Spring National Monument opportunity for to grow your time location the
Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, tribal elders from all bands, the Zion Forever Project. My most biggest
thanks to the Southern Paiute Nation, ranger Benn Pikyavit for your guidance on research and
understanding of our traditional ways, teaching them to me, and my family for all the support to me
through many endeavors that I take them through in our beautiful outdoors. These are just so
our references and I want to thank you guys for tuning in um and I'm here if you have questions.
okay
I am muted okay thank you so much Autumn that was an awesome talk and uh so many interesting things
that you said there. First I just think it's wonderful that uh you know Paiute astronomy is is
finally being you know uncovered and uh and celebrated in this way. Do you have any plans
or are there any plans in the works for making some of this stuff more widely known on a
on a more official scale whether it be through websites or books or things like that? Yeah so
the main idea is that we would like to create a southern Paiute star chart and possibly get it
published and start dispersing it throughout the different public land areas within the vicinity of
Paiute people. Oh fantastic, yeah go ahead, ???
Well that's fantastic yeah that that is um amazing what a great idea and uh
I think it was really fascinating what you were saying about the uh Taurus and and uh
Orion as well uh being analogs sort of uh figures worlds apart from uh the Greek constellations--
I think that's just so fascinating how we can um how certain constellations you know independent
of cultures independent of each other name them the sort of certain the same type of
entity and uh you you see that a lot especially with with Orion and I just thought that was that
was a really fascinating um factor that you you introduced there. Um finally I just uh
I wanted to get your take on uh the I wouldn't say I guess prohibition is sort of a strong word but
the discouraging of telling stories outside of the wintertime--why do you think that
has that principle, that idea, has evolved through not only the Paiutes but various
tribes around the Grand Canyon region why do you think that principle sort of evolved in that way?
So um are we speaking on like evolution today of how stories are told or?
More meaning more just like the idea of why why do you think um only the idea of only telling star
stories in the winter, like that idea in itself, I know there's probably not an answer but I'm I'm
wondering if you have a hunch or an idea of how maybe you know that evolved because Dine and you
know Hopi and A:shivi peoples also have this same idea where to share constellation stories outside
of the winter time this appropriate time is sort of a taboo and um and i'm just curious if you have
any insight as to why that might have evolved as a concept? Right so I our traditional reason
why we can't tell stories the winter season is because we believe that we will get bit by a
rattlesnake so you definitely do not want to get bit by a rattlesnake so to avoid that situation we
don't tell the story. Um for evolution in the terms of today um and even thinking towards the past
so this would have been knowledge for somebody to learn these stories oftentimes we have ancestors
who were specific set persons within our bands who have this really great talent of telling stories
but how did they teach them? So generally they would take somebody under their wing
and would probably teach them the stories all year long because you're not going to see every
constellation every year throughout the year and so it wasn't done in privacy rather than reciting
them out loud publicly in front of everyone else. In the terms of today of evolution um we do have
to realize yes our traditions and our cultures are very very important to us as native people
but because we live in this new world that was created we have to learn how to bend with it and
so with doing that we teach our children and our family members the stories in the privacy of our
own homes and with the other person. So I guess it would say that if anybody was interested in
learning the stories of course you can always read what is published out there for free educational
information--just don't recite them out loud just keep it in your own privacy. And I think
that that makes it a little bit more special it makes it a little bit more intimate because
it's kind of like you know when we save something for a certain time of year maybe a certain
Christmas tradition that we have; we wait all year to engage in that tradition, so I guess it can be
looked at like that also. Oh that's a great insight and um I really admire what you do as somebody who
is both drawing from and continuing on traditional ways and navigating that all through
a contemporary society it seems like a very difficult task but a very worthwhile task
so thanks so much for doing everything you do and thanks so much for this talk it was it was
most excellent and please everybody if you're watching visit Pipe Spring National Monument
it's a wonderful site north of the Grand Canyon a great uh park site to to to visit or to add
to a visit at some of the bigger sites around the southwest as well so please everybody stay tuned
for the virtual telescope viewing session that's occurring right after this talk and
with that again Autumn thanks so much and we hope uh to see you on site
uh at a future star party here at Grand Canyon sometime. Yeah thanks for having me.