For thousands of years the emu shape in the night sky has been important
to Aboriginal people.
Male emus play an important role in producing young emus. They sit on the
eggs. In a similar way elders help produce young men from boys during manhood
rites.
It has been suggested that the rings of the initiation grounds and connecting
corridors represent the emu.
Stories about stars the sun and the moon have a rich heritage in Australia. All the stars were known to the Aboriginals. They had stories and beliefs linked to the stars and also could recognise phases of the moon, and identify new arrivals such as comets.
The
emu is a shadow caused by dust and gas clouds in space. It is possible
to see the head at all times it being a dark shadow (the Coal Sack) by
the Southern Cross. May to September are the best times to sight the body.
It lies across the constellation Scorpio.
photo by team C0056462 of Emu Totem carving at entrance to Tesselated Pavenment Aboriginal Carvings site on the Elvina Walking Track , Kuringai Chase National Park NSW. This hilltop sandstone site near Sydney is believed to be the world's oldest starmap. Coming soon - our video of our field trip
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