Larissa Burnouf
APTN National News
Millions of people looked up to the skies Monday as the moon crossed paths with the sun.
But for a Cree constellations expert there was a deep connection.
Wilfred Buck said the Cree have had names for stars for thousands of years.
He said First Nation culture and traditions are rooted in the stars.
“We originate from the stars,” said Wilfred Buck. “We call those ‘ochagosak’ and we have something inside us called ‘ahtsak’ which is spirit.”
Buck said First Nations were knowledgeable about eclipses.
“They were understanding about what the eclipse was an when it was happening,” he said. “In the Cree language the eclipse is called ‘kahtahwew’. It loosely translates to smothering of light.”
Buck said it’s his journey in life to educate, not only First Nations, but the public about the importance and historical ties that First Nations have to the stars and space.
Good for you Wilfred. I remember when you were a little boy playing with my brother on Bell
I think you can figure out who I am. We lived at the end of the block from your family
So glad to hear this Buck is teaching the lessons about the stars through the lessons of the Cree First Nation. We as a people have lost these beautiful teachings. ‘d love to hear more about what he has to say about the stars and the universe. I also loved his reference to “other cultures” who also learned from the sky and had their own set of teachings. This is great love to hear more!
That was a nice story, thanks for sharing it.