In the Footsteps of the Traveller: The Astronomy of Northern Dene

“In the Footsteps of the Traveller grew from [author Chris Cannon’s] first meeting with [Gwich’in Elder] Mr. Herbert and replaces earlier scholarly condescension with a clearer picture of a huge, ancient and intricate astronomical system shared by Elders across more than 750 miles of subarctic landscape. Alongside Mr. Herbert, some 65 Indigenous knowledge holders contributed to the book. More than a third have passed away since Dr. Cannon began the research.”

— Joshua Sokol ― The New York Times

“A stunning, meaningful work that invites readers into a universe where stars are not only seen but deeply understood.”

— Tanana Chiefs Conference ― TCC News

“[In the Footsteps of the Traveller] is a guide for outsiders to glimpse Northern Dene culture. In a time when what remains of traditional knowledge and wisdom is at risk of being lost, it could also serve as a guide for Dene themselves. For people who, for whatever reason, no longer live in proximity to their communities and are seeking to reclaim belonging and Indigeneity, the book is a chart for a different kind of traveller. …It opens a universe of discoveries, not only of the constellations that figure in different Northern Dene cultures but also of how these relate to Dene languages and cultures as they’re practised on the ground.”

— Susan Nerberg ― Canada’s History

“In the Footsteps of the Traveller will appeal to peoples of Dene ancestry and heritage, academics who work in northern Canada, and astronomers alike. I also believe that this book is a gem that will excite any reader who feels a desire to watch and to know the night sky.”

— Thomas McIlwraith ― Journal of Astronomy in Culture

“The “Northern Dene peoples perceive, conceptualize, and integrate the sky and its contents into systems of knowledge, practices, world view, cosmology, and spirituality” that will astonish readers like a clear sky on a winter evening.”

— Jay Ruzesky ― The Malahat Review

“[In the Footsteps of the Traveller] is important as a regional case study, a description of how research transforms the researcher, and an example of how to present complicated information without reduction or simplification. Cultural astronomers and those who engage with Indigenous astronomy will find this an endless pleasure as it explores the detailed ways that astronomy is entwined with culture.

— Jarita Holbrook ― H-Sci-Med-Tech

“Impressive and thorough in both its astronomical and linguistic dimensions, Cannon’s solid scholarship illuminates Northern Dene cosmology while promoting a greater appreciation of Dene history, traditions, and knowledge systems. Germinal studies of this breadth are only made possible through lengthy and respectful cooperation between the researcher and Indigenous knowledge holders. The author’s engaging story of his travels and collaborations with his Dene teachers―an immersive process lasting some fourteen years―convincingly demonstrates this point, infusing the narrative with a vital personal component.” — John MacDonald