Christmas Star?

 

 

  I have always wondered, was there some kind of celestial happening when the Christmas star was said to have happened.  It had to have lasted many days, according to the Christian story.  As early as the 1300s, wise men were trying to figure this out and I do not know that we will ever know.  But it could have been a comet, a supernova, a solar flare, and alignment of planets, something might have happened and been seen and those that saw it in any of the continents would have had their own stories as to what it was.  It had to have some meaning to them because people were interested in the stars from the beginning of time, I am sure.  To most, it would have been such an awesome sight that they would have assigned a spiritual meaning to such a significant happening, if it happened.

First Nations of the Americas must have been quite perplexed, perhaps afraid, of such a happening.  The Anasazi of New Mexico did cave drawings that show a significant happening in the sky and they actually had a type of sky observation area.

The Pawnee used the stars to know when to plant their seeds, when to hold certain ceremonies, and had stories for the shapes of stars.  They actually built their lodges with openings at the top, not just to be able to have fire in the center, and for smoke to escape, but, also to be able to see the sky at night. 

The Hopi, of southwest speak of a Blue star that would come at the end of each of their four worlds and they did carvings to tell the story.  The paintings and old stories speak to this.  They believe there were people who came from afar (even speak of them as what we would call aliens).  Some of the Northwestern tribes speak of the star stories and star people.  There are stories of people who would come from the east when the star appeared.  

A Lakota Medicine Man, my friend and Dean of Native Studies at the University of Lethbridge, told me his people’s story that, if the new people came with the star, from the east, all would never be well again.  If the new people came from the west with no star, then there would be peace.  The Spanish came from the west and they assimilated, for the most part.  But, no matter, it would never be the same, even if it was not as bad.  He was right, wasn’t he?

I have no idea what filled the sky and what cultures from the different continents saw, or did not see, or thought, or believed, but, from all the ancient stories I have found, that relate to a skyful event have been recorded in cave drawings to oral stories, to transcribed stories,  but I believe there was some event.  What do you think it was?

©Carol Desjarlais 12.25.22