Temporal Cycles and their Relationship with the Sky among the Toba of Western Formosa, Argentina

This article explores cultural astronomy from an ethnographic perspective, focusing of the Toba of the middle Pilcomoyo in western Formosa, Argentina. We examine Toba temporal cycles, in particular interpretations of the sky involving Orion’s Belt, the Pleiades, Venus, the Moon and the Sun as well as stars in general, but also noting how time is marked by various environmental factors such as changes in the climate and animal sounds. It is shown that different celestial phenomena are seen as masculine or feminine, and we suggest that this in turn means that some indicate cycles of perishing and renewal, while others are eternal.