Kamay: Looking Up
Year 7 to Year 12 science, history and geography learning resource
Overview
Introduction
This resource explores the navigation techniques used during the journey of the Endeavour and contrasts these with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander navigational and astronomical systems that have been in place for many thousands of years.
Science, history and geography
This learning sequence contains activities suitable for Year 7 - Year 10 science as well as Stage 6 Investigating Science and Science Extension in NSW. These resources can also be used for history and geography. They are organised into two subject-related topics:
Astronomy
Navigation
Astronomy and navigation
'Indigenous astronomy' is the first astronomy – the astronomy that existed long before the Babylonians, Greeks, the Renaissance, and the Enlightenment. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people developed a number of practical ways to observe the Sun, Moon and stars to inform navigation, develop calendars, and predict weather.
This resource explores similarities and differences between 18th century European astronomy and navigation and that of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Note to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – images of Aboriginal people who may now be deceased may be shown in this resource.
Background
Endeavour
The sailing ship HMB Endeavour completed a voyage through the Pacific from England between 1768 and 1771. It was the first of three Pacific voyages led by James Cook. The aims of the first voyage were to observe the transit of the planet Venus across the Sun in 1769 and then to search for the 'southern land' that was thought to exist.
After journeying to Tahiti to observe the transit, then making an unsuccessful attempt to find the unknown southern continent before circumnavigating and charting (mapping) both islands of New Zealand, the Endeavour sailed across to the east coast of what we now call Australia, but in 1770 was referred to as New Holland. At the time, the east coast had not yet been mapped.
29 April 1770
On the morning of 29 April 1770 the Endeavour waited off the heads of a bay, later named Botany Bay. By mid-afternoon the Endeavour had entered the bay and had been anchored off the southern shore. We now refer to the bay as Kamay Botany Bay in honour of its name prior to the arrival of the Endeavour—Kamay.
Kamay
When the Endeavour crew attempted to land, there was an angry standoff when two of the local men showed their displeasure at what they saw. There were musket shots fired and spears thrown, but no serious injuries. The two men, members of the Gweagal clan, withdrew and the Endeavour crew ended up staying for eight days.
During their stay at Kamay Botany Bay, the people from the Endeavour took water, firewood and artefacts, caught huge amounts of fish, collected and recorded a vast quantity of plant specimens and wrote down their observations of the landscape and the Aboriginal people. They then sailed out of the bay and continued their long journey home.
Find out more at Endeavour: Eight days in Kamay