Southern Skies
About this Event
Southern Skies
Journey beyond the stars and explore the fascinating relationship between astronomy, archaeology, and the ancient Andean worldview. This special evening features archaeologist and UBC adjunct professor Luis Manuel González, curator of Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision, who will share how ancient Andean societies observed, interpreted, and incorporated the night sky into their cultural and ceremonial traditions.
Through stories, archaeological discoveries, and ancient material culture, discover how Andean peoples understood the cycles of the cosmos, including both the bright constellations and the mysterious dark constellations found within the Milky Way, or Hatun Mayo (“Great River”). Explore the Andean concept of pacha—the interconnected realms of space and time—and the enduring relationships between people, ancestors, nature, and the sky.
✨ Feature Talk — Beyond Time and Space: The Cosmic Philosophy of Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision
Presented by archaeologist and UBC adjunct professor Luis Manuel González
Enjoy a fascinating one-hour talk exploring the cultural and social meaning of astronomical beings through the lens of ancient Andean people and their material culture. Drawing from more than two decades of archaeological research throughout the Andes and his work curating Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision, Luis Manuel will reveal how the night sky was understood as an integral part of life, death, nature, and the cosmos.
🔭 Observatory Tour & Telescope Viewing
Continue your evening under the stars with an opportunity to tour the observatory and experience telescope viewing. Weather permitting, you'll have the chance to observe celestial objects through our telescopes while learning more about the night sky from our knowledgeable team.
🎟️ Join us for Southern Skies and discover the night sky through a new lens—where astronomy, archaeology, culture, and ancient wisdom come together.
Schedule
🕑: 06:30 PM - 07:00 PM
Check In
🕑: 07:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Beyond Time and Space: The Cosmic Philosophy of Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andea
Host: Luis Manuel Gonzalez
Info: This talk explores the underlying cultural principles that guided ancient Andean societies in their study, depiction and ceremonial practices linked to the night’s sky.
Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision is a recent exhibit at the Museum of Anthropology that explores the enduring worldviews of ancient Andean civilizations through nearly 100 exquisite pre-Columbian ceramic, textile, bone and wood works, some dating back more than 2,500 years.
Tupananchiskama, is a word in Quechua, an Indigenous language of the Andes. It means “until life brings us together again” and reflects an ancestral view of life and death as part of a continuous cycle. In Andean philosophy, death is not an end but a transformation. Through the belongings in this exhibition, visitors are invited to reflect on continuity, resilience, renewal, and the promise of reunion.
🕑: 08:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Observatory and Telescope Viewing
Info: End the evening beneath the stars with a guided observatory tour and telescope viewing session. Weather permitting, you'll have the opportunity to observe celestial objects through our telescopes and experience the night sky up close while learning from our knowledgeable team.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
CAD 11.50 to CAD 300.00
