The climbing and closing of Uluru l The Drum

look at it the biggest monolith on earth more than a thousand feet high three billion years old here in almost the dead center perhaps I am in the womb of the world ayers rock is the magnetic center of Australia thousands follow the ritual of climbing up the dotted line I wasn't come here not do it [Music] long ago there were two places that Aboriginal men used to climb but only ever to get water from the rock hole there's a dangerous spirit in that rock hole so they had to be careful only special men could climb all Aroo in Central Australia the official ceremony in which the title deeds of Ayers Rock are being handed back to Aboriginal tribes is drawing to a close the Northern Territory government had banned its officials from attending and the federal opposition also declined an invitation both bodies had campaigned against handing the rock back to its traditional owners the Europeans were really start climbing and we'll known for visitors to climb near and you know we're not really that happy there but we accepting that part now no like every noon people come here with an expectation of climbing and when they pay the money to get in they expect that though they're going to climb the rock and they're going to see the sunset turn while enduring only $1 your own uluru is said to become officially off-limits to trekkers after a decision by traditional owners and national parks some people are saying the rock belongs to all Australians not just indigenous people don't question they've got the right to ban people I think it's disappointing because I'd like the climate because it's closing now I think a lot of people have come out to think you know we should we should climb it before it gets close wouldn't climb up like a big quitter I put it smart enough to do it say it's the same thing for me it gets enough to just have a walk around hear stories about it and then be able to do it I can't see the cultural sensitivity when people have been climbing the rock all these years and now all of a sudden they want to shut it down come over here we hang out of the church I think you've got a respect for traditional owners the Dreaming stories and the fact there is a very significant place for First Nations people you you

Channel: ABC News (Australia)

Views: 22,887

Rating: 3.943723 out of 5

Keywords: Australia, abc, abc news, news, Uluru, climb, Indigenous, Alice Springs, Ruby Cornish, Aboriginal, sacred site, tourism, elders, Anangu, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, traditional owners, dreamtime, tradition, Outback, red centre, tourists, international, travel, Ayers Rock, The Drum, montage, history, Bill Peach, Aussie, adventures, closure, sacred, ritual, Oz, road trip, inland, Northern Territory, NT

Id: z-BBUc8s88E

Length: 3min 15sec (195 seconds)

Published: Thu Oct 24 2019