Eclipses in Australian Aboriginal Astronomy

TL;DR

This paper examines 50 Australian Aboriginal eclipse accounts, revealing their understanding, cultural interpretations, and the role of Elders, highlighting both scientific knowledge and cultural beliefs about lunar and solar eclipses.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of Aboriginal eclipse narratives, combining cultural insights with evidence of their astronomical knowledge and societal roles.

Findings

Many groups viewed eclipses as bad omens or magic.

Elders were believed to control or prevent eclipses.

Aboriginal groups understood the sun-earth-moon system and eclipse causes.

Abstract

We explore 50 Australian Aboriginal accounts of lunar and solar eclipses to determine how Aboriginal groups understood this phenomenon. We summarise the literature on Aboriginal references to eclipses, showing that many Aboriginal groups viewed eclipses negatively, frequently associating them with bad omens, evil magic, disease, blood and death. In many communities, Elders or medicine men were believed to have the ability to control or avert eclipses by magical means, solidifying their role as provider and protector within the community. We also show that many Aboriginal groups understood the motions of the sun-earth-moon system, the connection between the lunar phases and tides, and acknowledged that solar eclipses were caused by the moon blocking the sun.