COSMIC AFRICA
Professor Thebe Medupe, Deputy Dean of Science, North-West University
Saturday 24 January 10.00 am–12.00 pm COURSE FEES R115; Staff and students R58
The relationship of ancient Greeks to the night sky is well known and documented. Have you ever wondered how African people related to stars? In this film, join Thebe Medupe as he journeys to Namibia, Mali and Egypt in search of connections between traditional African astronomy and his professional science. He interacts with hunter-gatherers in Namibia, climbs the precipitous cliffs of the Dogon people in Mali, and ventures into the Sahara in Egypt in search of the most ancient astronomy, with the aim of experiencing how people of Africa use traditional astronomy to relate to the sky. These experiences were documented in a seventy-two minute internationally acclaimed documentary, Cosmic Africa. The film also charts Thebe’s life from his rural village with no electricity or running water, to the beginnings of his successful professional career, where he uses giant professional telescopes to look into the hearts of stars.
The film will be introduced by Professor Thebe Medupe, who will take questions and lead the discussion afterwards. Cosmic Africa was directed by award-winning Cape Town film makers Craig and Damon Foster.
TO BOOK: https://www.webtickets.co.za/performance.aspx?itemid=1575459123