In modern times the majority of the population views a solar or lunar eclipse as a spectacle, but we have to be respectful of its significance in other cultures, especially the original culture of the land we live on. Though many cultures regard eclipses as major events, they seem to almost always be something ‘negative’ or ‘destructive.’ The Greeks and Romans saw eclipses as a bad omen for the month to come, and the Batammaliba people of Togo saw them as the Sun and the Moon fighting.
While these traditions have faded mostly into obscurity among their respective populations, the traditions of various Indigenous American groups still live on as an important part of their modern identities, especially for the Navajo. Their view of the eclipse is also as an event that can be destructive to a person’s ‘spiritual harmony,’ and thus their traditions regarding it emphasize staying inside and reflecting on oneself instead of viewing it or making a major event out of it. This leads to a conflict between tradition and modernity, as thousands of people flock near their ancestral lands to take pictures and watch the eclipse, not allowed in so that the Navajo can observe their ancestral conventions.
Though some other Indigenous American groups share the view of the Navajo, it differs tribe-to-tribe, and even within tribes, there can be variability. Not every Indigenous individual will be in their homes or observing ancestral traditions— in the end, it is up to the person to decide if they would like to don eclipse glasses and watch, or if they feel more connected to the beliefs of their forefathers on the matter. We as a people have to be able to acknowledge that tradition and scientific knowledge are not mutually exclusive. The key to respecting these traditions and groups is to understand their beliefs so that we can do what we can to not interrupt them while following our own, personal beliefs at the same time.