In the Footsteps of the Traveller - by Chris M Cannon

About the Book

In the Footsteps of the Traveller, the first in-depth study on Northern Dene astronomy, reveals the significance of the sky and its contents to Northern Dene life, language, and culture through collaboration with more than sixty-five Dene Elders and culture bearers across thirty-four communities in Alaska and Canada.

Book Synopsis

"A new book shows that the Northern Dene people of Alaska and Canada have known far more about the stars than an earlier generation of scientists were willing to acknowledge."--The New York Times

Teachings from the stars

Much more than stories about the sky, Indigenous astronomies provide powerful, centuries-old models of knowing, being, and relating to the world. Through collaboration with more than sixty-five Dene Elders and culture bearers across thirty-four communities in Alaska and Canada, In the Footsteps of the Traveller reveals the significance of the stars to Northern Dene life, language, and culture.

At the centre of these knowledge systems is the Traveller, a being who journeyed around the world in Ancient Time before incarnating among the stars. The Traveller constellation is a teacher, a gamekeeper, a guardian, and a practical guide for wayfinding. The Traveller, together with a host of other celestial and atmospheric phenomena like thunder and the northern lights, bridges the divide between earth and sky, instilling balance and instructing people on how to live with each other and their environments.

This study combines interviews, stunning photographs and detailed illustrations of the northern night sky, author Chris M. Cannon's own experiential learning, and a foreword from Chief Fred Sangris of Yellowknives Dene First Nation. Rooted in years of collaborative fieldwork, In the Footsteps of the Traveller leads the way to deeper understandings of Northern Dene astronomical knowledge.

Review Quotes

"In the Footsteps of the Traveller grew from [author Chris Cannon's] first meeting with [Gwich'in Elder] Mr. Herbert and replaces earlier scholarly condescension with a clearer picture of a huge, ancient and intricate astronomical system shared by Elders across more than 750 miles of subarctic landscape. Alongside Mr. Herbert, some 65 Indigenous knowledge holders contributed to the book. More than a third have passed away since Dr. Cannon began the research."

"A stunning, meaningful work that invites readers into a universe where stars are not only seen but deeply understood."