This article on CBC news...
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/oct-1-redirecting-an-asteroid-rainforest-politics-wildlife-and-covid-and-more-1.6599378/mi-kmaw-astronomer-says-we-should-acknowledge-we-live-under-indigenous-skies-1.6600279
I scarcely know how to react to it.
Basically, when a Canadian astronomer studies a star, and writes a
paper about its light curve, and what that means about its internal processes... that astronomer will refer to the star using the internationally recognized designation for it, in order that astronomers in other countries will know what star he is talking about.
The ancient Chinese had different constellations, but they're not used
in astronomy. Nor would it be very practical to use the constellations
used by Canada's indigenous people.
But in today's age of increased concern and sensitivity towards past injustices, it's important to restrain our first impulse to react to such a proposal by dismissing it as the utter nonsense it seems to be to us.
Similarly, when it comes to the telescopes on Mauna Kea in Hawai'i,
while one certainly would want to keep them in operation producing
useful science, there is the question of the actual title to Mauna Kea,
which has been given to the indigenous people of the islands, and
so dialogue needs to be kept open by addressing the issue in a
respectful manner.
Of course, we just might be talking about one of the few _good_
consequences of Trump having packed the U.S. Supreme Court...
John Savard
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