Steering by Starlight

The night sky is a source of wonder and meaning for cultures across the world. From the Star of Bethlehem to the Fisher and the Sky Bear in Cree tradition, celestial stories have long held deep spiritual significance. Seeking knowledge from the stars has shaped our understanding of the universe and our place within it.

A favourite story amongst the Cree people, indigenous to Canada, concerns the Fisher and the Sky Bear. The tale begins in a time when the world was trapped in eternal winter, when powerful beings had stolen the warmth of summer and trapped it in the sky. Determined to free the warmth and bring it back to Earth, the Fisher—a small carnivorous animal—climbs into the sky along with his animal companions, amongst them a bear. During this daring mission, the Fisher is struck by an arrow; but before falling, he leaps into the heavens where he is transformed into a star in the Big Dipper constellation. The bear also rises into the sky, becoming part of the night sky alongside the Fisher.

The movement of the Big Dipper now marks the changing of the seasons. In spring, the bear reappears, signalling the return of warmth; while in autumn, the bear is wounded, which explains why the leaves turn red as they fall from the trees. This story reflects the deep connection the Cree people have with the natural world. The stars in the sky are not just distant objects; they guide the people through the cycle of the seasons, marking the rhythms of life.

In Christianity, the Star of Bethlehem is one of the best-known symbols of celestial guidance. According to the Gospel of Matthew, a bright star appeared in the sky to mark the birth of Jesus. The Magi, wise men from the East, followed this light to the humble stable in Bethlehem, where they found the newborn Messiah. 

The stars signal the arrival of something wonderful: the return of summer in the Cree tale, and the birth of the Saviour in Christianity. 

Much like the Cree tale of the Fisher and the Sky Bear, the account of the Star of Bethlehem signifies light and renewal. The connection between light and renewal is made explicit in the Gospel of John, which writes of Christ’s birth: ‘The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world’ (John 1:9). C. S. Lewis’s famous re-working of the gospel narrative echoes the Cree story in having Narnia held captive in eternal winter prior to its renewal by Aslan the lion.

Across different cultures, the stars have been also seen as guides, offering meaning and direction. Over the centuries, the wise men’s pursuit of a single star was transformed into complex techniques of navigation based upon the mapping of the night sky. And yet the simple sense of guidance under the single canopy of God’s creation remained. 

Escaped slaves in North America travelled under the cover of darkness, plotting their course to safety according to the constellations. Lovers parted by war take comfort in the fact that they see the same stars at night.

The connection between God’s care and the immensity of the cosmos is captured in a pair of verses from the Psalms: 

The stars continue to serve as universal symbols of hope and guidance. They connect us to the rhythms of nature and to spiritual journeys. They yield a form of scientific knowledge that also brings us meaning. Whether in Cree tradition or in Christianity, the stars are reminders of the vastness of the universe and humanity’s quest to understand our place within it.

Discussion Questions

• Many people find a sense of comfort in looking up at the stars. Have you ever had a moment like that, either under the night sky or in some other experience of nature? (Perhaps it was not an experience of comfort…)
• Our urban, online lives make it difficult to do things like looking at the stars. Do you think it is important to reconnect with the sky (or other aspects of nature)? How can we do this?
• This story contains two different kinds of ‘steering’ by the stars. One is the single-minded, out-of-the-ordinary quest of the magi. The other, described by the Cree people, concerns living within the more ordinary cycles of life. Which speaks to you more in your life at the moment?

Further Reading

• Cree stories https://www.native-languages.org/cree-legends.htm
• about the Cree people https://teaching.usask.ca/indigenoussk/import/cree.php
• on celestial navigation https://www.historyhit.com/how-celestial-navigation-changed-maritime-history
• Article on scientists response to studying indigenous stories of the night sky https://theconversation.com/how-making-a-film-exploring-indigenous-stories-of-the-night-sky-enriched-my-perspective-as-a-scientist-16752
• Indigenous artwork reproduced in this article are taken from the SKA Observatory project "Cosmic Echoes" and were created by indigenous artists. See more here: https://www.skao.int/en/561/cosmic-echoes-shared-sky-indigenous-art-exhibition