Aboriginal astronomy centre stage for SKA-Low

BY RACHEL RAYNER (CSIRO)

In the beautiful, ancient landscape of Wajarri country, red dust is kicked up during a dance performance by Godfrey Simpson, Geoffrey Mongoo and Gerard Boddington, part of the SKAO’s construction commencement ceremony in Australia.

Wajarri Country includes Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory. Here, the SKA-Low telescope will be built: 131,072 metal antennas across 75km.

Godfrey, Geoffrey and Gerard’s dance is part of the Welcome to Country that highlights the importance of land, community and culture to the region and its people. This region is now the centre of a global stage as we look to answer some of the biggest questions in the Universe with the SKA project. But astronomy has always been a part of this place. The Wajarri Yamaji were the first astronomers here, and they are now inyarrimanha ilgari bundara –sharing the sky and stars – with the rest of the world.

Des Mongoo is Wajarri and part of the Minangu Land Council. He says: “The stars are a source of knowledge and guidance. Our people looked up at the stars every night and from that they knew where they had to be.”

An Indigenous land use agreement, overwhelmingly endorsed by the Wajarri community, has recently been signed between the Wajarri Yamaji, CSIRO and Australian and Western

Australian governments to ensure that the building and operation of SKALow for the next 50 years will respect, protect and support the cultural and environmental needs of the community.

The Wajarri celebrated the registration of the agreement at an event on Wajarri Country in November, attended by Wajarri community members as well as representatives from the Australian and Western Australian governments, CSIRO, and the SKA Observatory.

Heritage surveys have been done across all SKA-Low sites at the observatory, with the SKA-Low telescope configured around heritage locations.

“The negotiation team worked for years with Wajarri to produce a meaningful cultural heritage management plan. It’s at the core of everything we do, and it’s vitally important,” says Rebecca Wheadon, manager of the CSIRO observatory site.

The Wajarri Yamaji led the process with the Australian Government and CSIRO to develop this plan. The SKA project partners are listening, and it is important that Wajarri voices are the loudest ones in discussions on their cultural heritage protection. CSIRO works closely with the Wajarri Yamaji Aboriginal Corporation on behalf of the organisations who use the observatory site, which includes the SKAO.

As Rebecca says: “We must, and will, do all we can to preserve and protect Wajarri culture. This is an enduring relationship between CSIRO and a people strongly connected to land and spirit. I feel incredibly privileged to be partnering with the Wajarri to protect their heritage.”

Juliet Jones was the MC of the SKA-Low construction commencement ceremony held at the observatory, on Country on 5 December. She closed the event with words in the Wajarri language that translate to, “thank you for coming from near and far to our land here, and we’ll see you later”.

As dances welcome the international delegation to Country, Juliet dictates the ceremony’s flow, and Des speaks to many participants, partners, and dignitaries gathered in Perth to celebrate the beginning of construction, we know that the nation’s first astronomers will be guiding the next century’s greatest astronomical discoveries.

The Wajarri celebrated the registration of an Indigenous land use agreement at an event on Wajarri Country in November, attended by Wajarri community members as well as representatives from the Australian and Western Australian governments, CSIRO, and the SKA Observatory.

Credit: CSIRO