Salish Knowledge Revived: Professor Explores Indigenous Astronomies

Shandin Pete, an assistant professor in the University of British Columbia’s Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, is leading a significant effort to recover and revitalize the astronomical knowledge of his Salish ancestors. Drawing from his childhood memories of gazing at the night sky, Pete seeks to uncover the traditional connections between the Salish people and the cosmos.

The Salish-Dine scholar emphasizes that while many creation stories are still shared within communities, vital connections to celestial patterns have been lost over generations, particularly due to the impacts of colonialism. “Our creation stories are still told today, but what was lost was connection to places that were not terrestrial: the patterns in the sky, and how those stories connected to our constellations,” Pete explains.

To reconstruct this knowledge, Pete employs a combination of interviews with elders, archival research, and field notes from anthropology. His work highlights how Indigenous perspectives on celestial formations, such as asterisms—smaller star patterns within the 88 internationally recognized constellations—have often been overlooked by Western astronomy.

Illuminating the Night Sky

Viewing the night sky through a Salish lens requires a shift in perception. According to Pete, “What we see when we look up away from Earth is another reality that mirrors what is happening on Earth.” In Salish cosmology, the stars reflect significant moments in earthly narratives. For instance, one notable asterism he has connected to Salish stories involves the stars of Orion.

“The belt of Orion is the center of the canoe, and the right shoulder and opposing foot are the ends of the canoe. Once you start understanding the story, you lose the form of Orion and see the canoe so clearly,” Pete notes.

Through this research, Pete has experienced moments of profound revelation, where archival materials and elder narratives intersect with scientific understanding. He recounts a particularly striking instance from an anthropologist’s notes, which described a phenomenon involving three stars that always rise in the same place.

After consulting with astronomers, Pete was able to decipher this cryptic reference and connect it to the story of the canoe. He discovered that these stars correlate with lunar standstills and the solstice patterns, revealing a sophisticated understanding of celestial navigation among his ancestors.

Bridging Past and Future

Pete’s work is not only about recovering lost knowledge but also about inspiring the younger generation. “It’s important for my community, and in particular it’s important for the young people to have demonstrated how intelligent our communities were, and how well they functioned before the advent of technology,” he emphasizes.

To share these insights, Pete will present at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre in Vancouver on December 13, 2025. His talk, titled “Salish Skies: Indigenous Sky Stories,” will begin at 3 p.m. after doors open at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available for CAD $26.20 through Eventbrite.

This initiative demonstrates the enduring legacy of Indigenous knowledge systems and their relevance in contemporary contexts, reinforcing the importance of cultural preservation and education.