Dayle L. Brown
The starry night sky has always filled us with wonder. Down through the ages we have looked to the skies and have seen images of our heroes, gods, and monsters. Storytellers have illustrated their mythologies and legends with it, passing on to future generations the customs of their people. Many of these stories have survived to the present.
In Skylore from Planet Earth we explore some of the stories about the constellation Orion. Since Orion is located over the earth’s equator, people from the entire planet have looked to it for a reminder of their own traditions. Fifteen richly illustrated stories take the reader on a trip around the world, giving a glimpse into the histories and cultures of the planet’s early civilizations.
Future books in this series will feature other sky phenomena as seen from early cultures around the world. Teacher Guides are available upon request.
During her over thirty years of teaching, Dayle Brown specialized in planetarium education, finding that a planetarium is the perfect classroom for teaching astronomy related subjects. She discovered that storytelling becomes even more magical while gazing up at a starry sky. Storytelling is a wonderful way to introduce children to cultures of the world, past and present.
In 1993 and 1994 Ms. Brown served as co-director of NSF Leadership Institutes in astronomy and space science, and in 2001 was a writer for Indiana Science Curriculum Frameworks Document.
As the Owner/Director of Pegasus Productions, Ms. Brown provides astronomy related presentations to schools and the public. She presents papers and workshops on planetarium education and storytelling under the stars at professional conferences.
Ms. Brown left the classroom to continue with her work as a planetarium educator and to pursue her love of art. Her watercolor paintings have shown in area museums and galleries.
Ms. Brown lives with her husband, David Piser, in Mishawaka, IN. They enjoy traveling together and spending time with children and grandchildren.
“Osiris”
Egypt
The ancient Egyptians worshiped many gods. Nut was the goddess of the sky, and her husband, Geb, was the god of the earth. One of their children was Osiris, who came to be known as the god and judge of the dead.
Osiris was the husband of Isis, who became the most important goddess of ancient Egypt. She is the only Egyptian god to be shown with wings. They had a son, Horus, who was worshiped as the sun and light.
Osiris had a brother, Set, who was envious of Osiris. Set killed his brother, Osiris. Isis searched the earth for her husband, while their son, Horus, did battle against his uncle. Horus was victorious. Isis magically brought Osiris back to life and they travel across the sky together yet today.
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Osiris was seen to be Orion and his faithful wife was seen as the bright star, Sirius, in the constellation Canis Major (The Big Dog). She follows Osiris across the sky from east to west.
Osiris and Isis cannot be seen during the summer for 70 nights. According to the story, that was how long it took Isis to find and restore her husband. This is the length of time taken to prepare mummies for the trip to the afterlife. The southern shaft of the Great Pyramid -the tomb of Khufu- pointed to the belt of Osiris. It was believed that the pharaoh would ascend to the starry sky to keep order in heaven and earth.
Osiris and Isis remain constant in the night sky, and they continue to signal the seasons from their celestial realm. The cycles of life are paralleled by the myth, still illustrated by the sky.
“Te Waka, The Canoe” - Maori of New Zealand
The sea was and still is very important to the ancient Maori. They developed traditions and customs regulating its use and protection. Prayers are offered to Tangaroa, the guardian of the sea, before fishing. The first fish taken is given back to the sea with a prayer that the gods will provide more fish for the hooks. No eating or smoking is permitted while fishing in the canoe.
Rules were developed to protect the natural habitat. For example, it is forbidden to gut fish in the open seas or throw small fish, exess bait, food, or rubbish into the water. Certain fish may only be caught
at certain times.
These customs insure that the fishing grounds will continue to provide a valuable source of food for the people.
Tamarereti, a mythical ancestor of the Maori, paid a dear price for disregarding the customs of his people. Tamarereti went fishing all night long in his canoe, Tainui. Since Tamarereti was alone, he caught a forbidden fish, thinking no one would notice. As morning grew nearer, Tamarereti grew hungry. His canoe traveled closer to the land. Before getting too close to the land, Tamarereti quickly ate the forbidden fish and threw the scraps into the sea to hide his crime. He choked and died.
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Makali’i, the Pleiades, is the bow of Tainui. The belt of Orion is the stern. The Hyades (the face of Taurus the bull) forms the sail. The bright star Sirius is sometimes said to “guide the canoe”. The canoe seems to sail along the Milky Way. It serves as an eternal reminder to respect the customs which protect future generations.
