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6. It could be said that Sirius follows the pace of Sun as a faithful dog his master. Tradition has it, however, that his master was Orion. The facts indicate he is slowly closing the gap to Orion. The current distance to Betelgeuze is about (510.2 - 497.3) = 13 days and with 13 * 24 * 60 / 12 = 18720 the gap is diminishing with a day in about 18720 / 13 = 1440 years. This number is equal to 360 * 4. Orion stands 'squarely' on the sky equator while the Canis Major constellation is further to the south, stretching across the tropic of Capricorn. If the equator should be imagined as the proper place for Sun, then Canis Major could be thought of as standing at the beginning of the solar year. Alternatively Sirius can be imagined as embedded firmly in the sky roof in contrast to the other stars which flow past as the years go by. It is then like a pole thrust down vertically into the 'sea bottom'. Its name on Easter Island, Te Pou, is reasonable: "... pou meaning column, pillar or post of either stone or wood. Sometimes the word is applied to a natural rock formation with postlike qualities which serves as an orientation point. The star Sirius is called Te Pou in Rapanui and functions in the same way." (Jo Anne Van Tilburg, Easter Island. Archeology, Ecology and Culture. ) Te Pou is also the name of the 7th (or 5th according to my model) kuhane station:
The 'tasty fish' (pe'i) - cfr at The Mouth of the Fish - preceding Te Pou obviously signifies a location far down in the 'sea' and could refer to Canopus: ... 'Te Pei' should probably read 'Te Pe'i' (unfortunately, Ms. E does not indicate glottal stops). The pe'i is a large, tasty fish (Caranx cheilio, Fuentes 1960:290), caught in the deep waters of the fishing grounds (hakanononga). In one recitation, the pe'i is likened to the 'great fish' (ika nui) and compared to the very popular tunafish (kahi) (Barthel 1960: 848). This favorite food from the ocean is depicted in numerous petroglyphs. There is contrast between the fluid 'sea' and the following firm 'land' (Sirius). By my colouring scheme Te Pou is a Sun-day. According to Barthel in his The Eighth Land: ... The cult place of Vinapu is located between the fifth and sixth segment [Barthel counts from Nga Kope Ririva Tutuu Vai A Te Taanga] of the dream voyage of Hau Maka. These segments, named 'Te Kioe Uri' (inland from Vinapu) and 'Te Piringa Aniva' (near Hanga Pau Kura) flank Vinapu from both the west and the east. The decoded meaning of the names 'the dark rat' (i.e., the island king as the recipient of gifts) and 'the gathering place of the island population' (for the purpose of presenting the island king with gifts) links them with the month 'Maro', which is June. Thus the last month of the Easter Island year is twice connected with Vinapu. Also, June is the month of summer solstice [a mistake: south of the equator it is winter solstice], which again points to the possibility that the Vinapu complex was used for astronomical purposes ... This statement seems to suggest winter solstice on Easter Island was defined to be earlier than the heliacal rise of Canopus and Sirius. Counted from autumn equinox there are 358 - 266 = 92 days to winter solstice:
We have tentatively located Sirius to day number 102:
And the solstice could possibly begin with Canopus:
Suppose the intention by the creator of the G text was to illustrate winter solstice north of the equator. We could then count 356 - 266 = 90 days, which would put Canopus 6 days later and Sirius 12 days later than the solstice. Maybe the solstice could end with the heliacal rise of Praja-pāti:
There would then be 5 days to Canopus and 10 days to Sirius. 'The Rudder' would be at the beginning of the new year, yet be the last influence of the previous year. A further alternative is to make use of the definition of the 'dog days': ... The time and duration of these days, although not generally agreed upon in ancient times, any more than in modern, were commonly considered as beginning on the 3d of July and ending on the 11th of August, for such were the time and period of the unhealthy season of Italy, and all attributed to Sirius ... Counting from June 21 (as the date of solstice) there are 30 - 21 + 3 = 12 days to the beginning of the 'dog days'. Ga2-7 could correspond to July 3, in which case June 21 would be at Ga1-25. If Sirius is at Ga2-7 then this should be where the 'Dog Days' are beginning. |
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