As part of Indigenous Storytelling Month, the City of Regina held a trio of events for residents to check out.
Hosted by the Saskatchewan Science Centre, Regina Public Library (RPL) and the City of Regina, people had a chance to stargaze through the telescope at the Kaliu Observatory at the Science Centre, make constellation crafts and sit under the stars at the Neil Balkwill Civic Arts Centre, and also had the chance to explore the stars with Laurie Rousseau-Nepton, Canada’s first Indigenous woman astrophysicist at the mâmawêyatitân centre.
Rousseau-Nepton said she talked to people about the connection between ancestral knowledge, astronomy, physics and how science is in the stories.
“Telling stories about the stars and connecting them to astronomy is a passion for me. I’ve been working on connecting those two aspects together for the past seven years,” she said. “I think it will have an impact on the youth because when you know that astronomy has been for generations, then you know that you can be part of it, feel like you’re part of it, and I want to make people realize that we have this connection.”
She said she was honoured to be in the Queen City to help tell start and indigenous stories.
“I feel like I’ve come a long way to get to a point where I can myself be telling those stories. I feel like it’s such an important work, and I’m so glad to be here and be part of this kicking off.”
The events were a part of the City of Regina’s Winter City Strategy, which aims to help residents and visitors embrace winter.
