LAKOTA STAR KNOWLEDGE PLANISPHERE

I’ve spent the last two years working on a collaborative public art sculpture centered on traditional Lakota Star Knowledge which will be unveiled later in 2022. My research has included several texts, but my most important resources for this project have been the elders and culture bearers in my community. Lakota culture has utilized oral tradition to pass on knowledge since time immemorial and I engage in this practice as often as I can.

This planisphere is a by product of my research for the yet to be unveiled Lakota Star Knowledge Sculpture. I’ve utilized a preexisting map created by Dominic Ford to map several important Lakota constellations. I’ve also added the Lakota names for the months of the year along with the English translations. Ford’s license allows for, and encourages, augmentation of his map as long as he is cited properly, which I have done. This map is designed to be used on the 45° latitude.

I offer this map free to my community to pass on the knowledge that I’ve collected during my research for my sculpture. It is home printer friendly and can be put together very easily.