Ancient Filipino Astronomy

^LOL, Primary sources = Blair and Robertson's (from which most of these English translations of Spanish accounts are derived from---which in turn they got from a lot of latter Filipino historians ie Retana, Pardo de Tavera, Medina, Rizal etc.) book. I'm almost certain it's required to own for all post-grad Filipino historians. If you have a Nook (not sure about Kindle) but it's for sale on Barnes and Noble.

These I found trying to find an digital copy of a book written in 1967 by Schlegel on the Tiruray's folk astronomy. I couldn't find it (all the Filipino libraries require $$$, m2thefvckr$ -lmao), but I found this.

Names of constellations (and singular stars and planets) in Filipino (and other Austronesians)...credit are given by the blogger to Ambrosio (whom I quoted much above) and an Aussie academic (M. Osmond). A lot of them are already said above.
from here
[url] http://sambali.blogspot.com/2008/05/star-and-constellation-names.html [/url]

All pics are from Astrobob Blog (all are from N. Hemisphere)
[url] http://astrobob.areavoices.com/ [/url]

[B]Words for Stars and Constellations [/B]
(PMP = Proto-Malayo-Polynesian; POc = Proto-Oceanic; Mic = Micronesian; Pn = Polynesian; Ph= Philippine)

[B]Venus, Morning Star, Evening Star[/B]

PMP *mantalaq -- 'the morning/evening star, Venus' (Austronesian Comparative Dictionary (ACD))

PMP *(t)ala(q) -- 'star' (Dempwolff)

Big Bird -- constellation that includes [B]Betelgeuse, Canopus, Procyon, Rigel and Sirius[/B]

PMP *manuk -- 'bird'

POc *manuk -- 'bird, Bird constellation'

[B]Sirius[/B]
[IMG] [/IMG]

[B]Pleiades[/B]

[B]Southern Cross[/B]

Proto-East-Oceanic *bubu -- 'Southern Cross; triggerfish'

The Pointers (Alpha and Beta Centauri)
[IMG] [/IMG]

[B]Polaris[/B]
[IMG] [/IMG]

Aquila
[IMG] [/IMG]

Scorpio, Antares
[IMG] [/IMG]

[B]Delphinus[/B]
[IMG] [/IMG]

"Now, in the Malayo-Polynesian culture, zenith stars had practical uses linked with navigation and thus Spica would be considered a zenith star for any location only for a certain period. The declination of Spica and other stars changes because of the movement of the Earth's axis. Although neither Osmond or Ambrosio mention Spica, it is found in regional astronomies. For example, in Tahiti it was one of the pillar stars and was known as Ana-rota. It was called Mataroa in Kiribati, Aap in Truk, Paulauru in the Carolines and Da in the Marshall Islands.

In the Austronesian region, the conjunction of the Moon with specific stars is often used in electional astrology. The conjunction of the Full Moon with specific times in the tropical year is also used to detemine the new year, most notably in connection with the well-known swarming of the Palolo sea worms.

Among the Kodi of Sumba in Indonesia, the year indeed is determined by the Zenith Moon, when the Full Moon conjoins or passes nearest to the local zenith. About seven days after this time, the Palolo worms emerge (Janet Hoskins 1993: 65, 72, 353, 358).

Now, the Moon would mainly transit the zenith in tropical areas, but the Moon has different declination limits than the Sun. Thus, the Moon can transit the zeniths at latitudes up to 28.5° N or S. The period when the Full Moon would conjoin with Spica about 45 days before the vernal equinox, as in the Chinese calendar, corresponds to the late 4th millennium BCE."

This one is a list of names via Pangasinense/Pangalatok language posted online by a Filipino-American Mel Orpilla. IDK the validity since it's posted in a group and don't know what references he used. A lot of them sound similar to other Filipino languages.

Only ones I could understand:

1. Kabuntatala = 'morning star' (Mercury or Venus)
2. Bitewen Babuy = 'Swine Star' (Venus)
8. Maopo = only thing I could understand was "Siete Cabrillos" (Span. for Seven Goats) so assuming since it's sounds similar to other Filipino words for it (Moroporo, Molopolo) he meants Pleaides.