If you're spending six weeks around Alice Springs, you can't pass up on the opportunity to go see one of the most impressive sights Australia has to offer. Uluru presents majestic insights in ancient cultures, history and geology. Two other Jawun secondees and I drove to Uluru last weekend (~ 4.5 hrs by car) to take in the majestic rock and its surroundings, and hear some of the stories that the local people associate with it. It was a magical experience, enhanced by a most excellent tour guide for our walk around the base, and the great company of Mick and Jillian.
Estimates for how long people have lived in Australia vary, with conservative numbers quoting at least 30,000 years, and some studies pointing towards a human presence well over 100,000 years. Hearing some these people's stories that are set around Uluru, about how the rock came to be, and how these stories fit in storylines that connect to neighbouring regions, helped me understand a little bit better the way such stories were really guides for living, and traveling, and for how societies worked.
Uluru has not only been part of 'home' for Pitjantjatjara people for many tens of thousands of years, many consider the rock to be family in a way, calling it mother or uncle, there are many sacred sites that have very specific - sometimes secret, or private - meaning. Land title of the region was granted 'back' to the traditional owners in 1985. While this was absolutely the right thing to do, it seems a strange concept to 'give back rights' to something that was part of people's culture, family and lives since forever. Moreover, their traditions don't really recognise the concept of ownership rights. And still it is expected and implied that visitors (like me!) are to be granted near unlimited access. Imagine giving unlimited amounts of tourists, strangers, access to your family home, to touch, photograph and change. Many people still insist on climbing Uluru, even though it is specifically and politely requested that you don't.
It is very complex matter, and I am grateful for the impressive experience we had visiting Uluru, as well as 'fake rock' Mount Conner (Connie, a table rock, photos in a different post) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). It is striking how such very different geological formations exist in such a relatively small area. We figured this was the Development Lab for Innovative Landscapes, once upon a time, for who-ever assembled our rocky planet.
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