Description
This study explores the cultural astronomy knowledge of the Basarwa/San and Bangwato communities in the Central District of Botswana, as well as the Ju/’Hoansi San community in North-Eastern Namibia. The research was conducted in collaboration with the Central Botswana San community in Moralane village, the Bangwato in Serowe-Paje villages, and the Ju/’Hoansi community in Namibia. The San communities are widely recognized as the indigenous and native people of Southern Africa, possessing a wealth of raw and untouched knowledge of the history of astronomy within a Southern African context.
The primary objective of this study is to gain insight into how astronomy and the celestial realm influence the culture, history, and daily lives of these communities. Additionally, the study seeks to identify and establish connections and similarities between the Basarwa/San and Bangwato in Botswana and the Ju/’Hoansi community in Namibia.
The indigenous knowledge, along with folk stories collected during the first and second phases of this study, were meticulously recorded, interpreted, and subsequently compared and correlated with modern astronomy. The purpose of this knowledge-matching process was to establish a relationship between astronomy and modern astronomy, highlighting how both can contribute to the socio-economic development of these communities.
| Stream | Education Development and Outreach |
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