For the April edition of the Full Moon Mashup series, we had a deeply reflective session on Culture, Astronomy, and Community with Dr. Hanna Nieber, a social anthropologist. Dr Nieber is and Anthropologist from the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology and visited the OAD for 3 weeks.
Dr. Nieber, whose ethnographic research explores how astronomers construct their worlds and engage with the night sky, shared insights from her fieldwork in Madagascar and her brief time with the OAD team. Her reflections on the time spent with the OAD encouraged participants to retain complexity, consider multiple perspectives, and challenge assumptions about how scientific and indigenous knowledge intersect, based on the discussions that took place during the AfAS 2025 Conference and General Assembly as well as the National Astro-Tourism Trader Stakeholder Workshop.
The discussion explored the cultural dimensions of astronomy—how it is practiced, shared, and sometimes commodified in the context of astrotourism. Dr. Nieber raised important questions about cultural preservation, cautioning against oversimplifying or appropriating indigenous knowledge for tourism. She emphasised that cultural stories tied to the stars must be handled with respect, authenticity, and the informed consent of communities.
The discussion then led to the promises and pitfalls of using astronomy for economic development. While astrotourism can reconnect people with the night sky and generate income for rural communities, it also poses risks of cultural commodification if not approached with care. Many agreed that community-led initiatives, long-term relationship building, and trust are essential for meaningful engagement.
We further explored the evolving nature of culture, especially in the face of globalisation, migration, and generational shifts in knowledge transmission. The noted challenge is not to “preserve” culture in a static form but to support communities in shaping how their stories are shared.
This conversation underscored the importance of slowing down, listening deeply, and embracing the complexity of culture in science outreach. As Dr. Nieber reminded us, seeing the sky is as much about perspective and relationships as it is about telescopes and constellations.
If you would like to continue this conversation with the OAD or Dr Hanna Nieber, feel free to reach out to us at info@astro4dev.org
For more on upcoming Full Moon Mashups, visit: astro4dev.org/full-moon-mashups