Latest news with #PaulHerbert
New York Times
17-06-2025
- Science
- New York Times
A Traveler Waits in the Stars for Those Willing to Learn How to Look
Among the Northern Dene people in Alaska and Canada, tradition holds that pointing one's finger at animals, or the stars, is disrespectful. So is speaking carelessly about entities in the night sky. And so is peppering an Elder with probing questions. Chris Cannon, a red-haired astronomy educator, did not know any of this one overcast morning in 2011, when he ventured past a black bear's carcass and a faded sign reading 'trespassers will be shot' and knocked on Paul Herbert's door in Fort Yukon, Alaska. Dr. Cannon, at that time a number of years from earning his Ph.D. in cultural anthropology, tried to introduce himself in the Gwich'in language, of which Mr. Herbert is among only a few hundred surviving native speakers. Then Dr. Cannon asked about the stars. 'What the hell you mean, stars?' Mr. Herbert said. 'It's cloudy out there.' Over tea at Mr. Herbert's kitchen table, Dr. Cannon produced documents showing star names that Western ethnographers and anthropologists had recorded from Indigenous cultures across the region. Existing research suggested that Northern Dene societies like the Gwich'in had only managed to map or study the Big Dipper and no other parts of the night sky. One 20th-century ethnographer had gone so far as to dismiss the region's Indigenous astronomical knowledge as 'extremely slight' and 'small.' But Mr. Herbert holds far more in his head alone than the sum total of all that published research. 'I said, 'That stupid little map right there, throw that in the garbage,'' Mr. Herbert recalled in a recording of a launch event for Dr. Cannon's new book on Northern Dene star knowledge that was hosted by the Tanana Chiefs Conference, a consortium of Alaska Native communities. The book, 'In the Footsteps of the Traveller,' grew from that first meeting with 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. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
ABC News
08-06-2025
- General
- ABC News
Paul & Paula's Patch
Jerry visits a bush block in Brisbane's south-west has been transformed into a grand cottage garden. Owners: Paula and Paul Herbert Location: Mount Crosby, Qld, on Yuggera Country Climate Zone: Subtropical Garden Established: More than 15 years ago Style: Grand cottage garden Key Features Jerry first notices the lovely balance of light and shade in the garden. All the elements of design are used here: repetition, colour, texture, unity and space. There are many nectar-producing plants, which bring in lots of birds. Grass trees were planted as tiny seedlings about 15 years ago and are now about 1.5m tall. Other strappy plants include a variegated lomandra, miscanthus, carex and gymea lilies. Paula has loved gardening since she was a little child and now has Paul hooked, too – this is the third garden they've created together. Paula has the ideas and Paul puts them into action! The garden is a showpiece for Paula's creativity too; she is a painter and clay artist. Paula has a particular passion for Casuarina 'Green Wave' and surprises Paul by admitting there are 90 of them in the garden. While she has no horticultural training, she got on so well with the staff at the local garden centre that she was offered a job. The open spaces and borders are defined by hedges, but few are in straight lines. Being at a slight elevation and away from the coastal humidity, they are able to grow Manchurian pears and other deciduous trees. A downside of their location is the strong south-easterly summer wind, however the hedging helps reduce its impact. Some of the hedges are planted with mock orange, which is a serious weed in the area, as birds carry the seed into the bush, but the Herberts are diligent in trimming off any seed heads that form. An old kids' cubby house has been transformed into a chook shed, complete with a bird 'chandelier'. GRASS TREE Xanthorrhoea sp. VARIEGATED MAT-RUSH Lomandra cv. CHINESE SILVER GRASS Miscanthus sinensis 'Flamingo' * JAPANESE SEDGE Carex 'Feather Falls' GYMEA LILY Doryanthes excelsa SWAMP SHE-OAK Casuarina glauca 'Green Wave' * MOCK ORANGE Murraya paniculata * ROSEMARY Salvia rosmarinus cv. * Check before planting: this may be an environmental weed in your area
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Village still cut in half two months after storm
A community says it has been cut in half after Storm Bert damaged a bridge and closed the only road through a village. The storm struck Shropshire in November but more than two months on, the road in Bronygarth, near Oswestry, remains closed, and residents said there were no signs of repairs starting. It means the people living on one side of the village have to travel along a six mile (9.7km) diversion into Wales if they want to get to the opposite side. Shropshire Council said due to the complexity of the bridge, more investigations were needed before they could start repair work. The road is closed to both motorists and pedestrians. Weston Rhyn parish councillor Paul Herbert said it was causing huge disruption and they felt the town had been forgotten. "It has been really quite difficult to get out and about," he said. "The focus seems to be on more populated areas at the moment. "But if we don't shout about it, nothing will get done." Simon Greaves, who has lived in the village for many years, added: "Families are divided. "I've got a brother who lives on the other side of this closed road and he's not able to walk at the moment. "So if he want to come and see me he has to get into his car and drive four is crazy." To get to the bridge, the flood waters travelled downhill from a brook and through a leisure complex and property belonging to Simon Pierpoint. He was in Gran Canaria when he heard water had reached the house which was being used as a holiday let. "I was talking to the people at the time and I was reassuring them the water wouldn't come into the house as it hadn't for the 30 plus years we had been living here," he said "It was famous last words because actually it was pretty devastating." While dealing with insurance for his own repairs, he is letting walkers use his land, which borders the closed road, so they can avoid the diversion. A spokesperson for Shropshire Council apologised for the inconvenience. "Due to the restricted access and complexity of the bridge, specialist access equipment is now required to complete our final investigations into the current condition of the structure," they added. "We have instructed our engineering consultants WSP to prepare a suitable design solution." But Mr Herbert said the town needed the work done urgently. "Everyone's a bit down in the dumps about it," he said "I think it would give everybody a lift if we could get it opened as soon as possible." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Streets flood and roads shut as Storm Bert strikes Is climate change causing more flooding? Shropshire Council
BBC News
08-02-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Bronygarth still cut in half two months after storm
A community says it has been cut in half after Storm Bert damaged a bridge and closed the only road through a storm struck Shropshire in November but more than two months on, the road in Bronygarth, near Oswestry, remains closed, and residents said there were no signs of repairs starting. It means the people living on one side of the village have to travel along a six mile (9.7km) diversion into Wales if they want to get to the opposite Council said due to the complexity of the bridge, more investigations were needed before they could start repair work. The road is closed to both motorists and pedestrians. Weston Rhyn parish councillor Paul Herbert said it was causing huge disruption and they felt the town had been forgotten."It has been really quite difficult to get out and about," he said."The focus seems to be on more populated areas at the moment."But if we don't shout about it, nothing will get done." Simon Greaves, who has lived in the village for many years, added: "Families are divided."I've got a brother who lives on the other side of this closed road and he's not able to walk at the moment."So if he want to come and see me he has to get into his car and drive four is crazy." To get to the bridge, the flood waters travelled downhill from a brook and through a leisure complex and property belonging to Simon was in Gran Canaria when he heard water had reached the house which was being used as a holiday let."I was talking to the people at the time and I was reassuring them the water wouldn't come into the house as it hadn't for the 30 plus years we had been living here," he said"It was famous last words because actually it was pretty devastating."While dealing with insurance for his own repairs, he is letting walkers use his land, which borders the closed road, so they can avoid the diversion. A spokesperson for Shropshire Council apologised for the inconvenience."Due to the restricted access and complexity of the bridge, specialist access equipment is now required to complete our final investigations into the current condition of the structure," they added."We have instructed our engineering consultants WSP to prepare a suitable design solution."But Mr Herbert said the town needed the work done urgently."Everyone's a bit down in the dumps about it," he said"I think it would give everybody a lift if we could get it opened as soon as possible." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
