[Aztlan] Rigel subsitutes for the sun

[Lynda Manning-Schwartz]

There is doubt about Rigel itself being a celestial marker, but Orion has
been a staple in almost every culture's pantheon for millenia, with primary
emphasis on the belt stars. Orion is easily identified and is close to one
of the two places in the sky where the ecliptic crosses the Milky Way (the
other is its celetial opposite Gemini/Taurus). When Orion rises, Gemini
descends, and vice versa. Mesoamerican, South American, and North American
peoples tracked these two places in the sky very carefully and were
especially interested when planets transversed these areas of interest.

Orion is also near the celestial equator and is thus visible throughout most
of the world in both the northern and southern hemispheres. See Anthony
Aveni's book, Stairways to the Stars (1997, John Wiley and Sons), and Ray A.
Williamson's book, Living the Sky (1984, University of Oklahoma Press;
reprinted 1989 Houghton Mifflen Co.). 

Lynda Manning-Schwartz

-----Original Message-----
From: aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org [mailto:aztlan-bounces at lists.famsi.org]
On Behalf Of martha noyes
Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2007 8:07 PM
To: aztlan at lists.famsi.org
Subject: [Aztlan] Rigel subsitutes for the sun


On the Hawaiian legend I've been working on, Ka-onohi-o-ka-la (the eye of
the sun) is banished from heaven and is replaced in the sun by
Kahalaomapuana, a female - Kaha (mark, as time) la (sun) oma (adze, a symbol
for solstice) puana (Rigel).

Rigel's heliacal rise is about 19 December.

Does anyone know of a similar use of Rigel in Mesoamerican lore?

Mahal,
martha
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