History
Uluru, sandstone monolith … sacred to indigenous Australians … formed around 550 million years ago … 36 red-rock domes within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
First nation people have been living in area for at least 30,000 years.
Anangu … believed direct descendants of beings who created Central Australian landscape; including Uluru-Kata Tjuta … are tasked as protectors of these ancestral lands.
Kata Tjuta
Uluru-Kata Tjuta is physical evidence of feats performed during creation and told in Tjukurpa stories.
Anangu welcome you to Uluru-Kata Tjuta … living cultural landscape … where earth and memories exist as one … where rock formations hide ancient wisdom, diverse plant, animal life … important focus of spiritual life … sacred history, Dreaming stories.
Today, Anangu and Parks Australia jointly manage Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park … UNESCO World Heritage Listed in 1987 for its natural values … and extraordinary value … living cultural landscape in 1994.
Kata Tjuta means ‘many heads’ in Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara … important men’s business site … little is shared with visitors, even today.
Uluru
Uluru, natural landmark, thought to have been formed by ancestral being during Dreaming. Uluru’s numerous caves, fissures were also formed from ancestral beings’ actions in The Dreaming.
Ceremonies are still held in sacred caves lining base of Uluru.
Anangu people practice religious, cultural traditions known as Tjukurpa … symbolises Anangu way of life, religious culture. Tjukurpa stories, songs, ceremonies and dances focus on creation of Uluru, animals, people and wildlife around area.
These ancient tradition, knowledge, wisdom, stories, songs, ceremonies are passed on through generations via rock paintings, petroglyphs conveying ideas, philosophy, teaching tribe members, non-members spiritual Dreaming stories.
Some significant, religious locations for visitors are:
Mutitjulu Waterhole
Permanent ancient water spring overlooked by cliffs, waterfalls, south side of Uluru, providing natural water source to flora, fauna, home to diverse animal, plant species … presence of Liru and Kuniya …
Kulpi Mutitjulu (Mutitjulu Cave)
Used to share and distribute food caught during the day – also for teaching children Dreaming stories … symbols, depictions “representing waterhole, campsite or place of significance”.
3 Stories
Creation of Uluru
2 tribes of ancestral spirits were invited to a feast but were distracted by beautiful Sleepy Lizard Women and did not show up. In response, angry hosts sang evil into mud sculpture that came alive as the dingo. A great battle followed, ending in deaths of both tribal leaders …
Earth rose up in grief at bloodshed … becoming Uluru.
It is believed that many Tjukurpa (creation stories or Dreaming) such as Kalaya (Emu), Liru (poisonous snake), Lungkata (blue tongue lizard), Luunpa (kingfisher) and Tjintir-tjintirpa (willie wagtail) travel through Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa. It is also said, that Kuniya, woma python, lived in rocks at Uluru where she fought Liru, the poisonous snake.
Walks around base of Uluru follow tracks of ancestral beings … rock’s shapes, textures hold knowledge, stories passed down through generations of Anangu and are still relevant today.
Mala Story
In the beginning, Mala (rufous hare-wallaby) people came from north … could see this rock (Uluru) … thought it looked a good place … stayed awhile and make inma (ceremony). Mala men decorated, raised Ngaltawat, the ceremonial pole. The inma had begun.
Mala people began preparation for ceremonies … women gathered, prepared food … stored nyuma (seed cakes) in caves … men went hunting … made fires … fixed tools and weapons.
Amidst preparations, 2 Wintalka men approached from west … invited Mala people to attend their inma. Mala people declined, explaining their own ceremony had begun and could not be stopped.
Disappointed, Wintalka men returned and told their people – enraged, they created huge devil-dog, Kurpany, an evil spirit, to destroy the Mala inma.
As Kurpany travelled towards Mala people, he changed into many forms – a mamu, a ghost. Luunpa, kingfisher woman first spotted him … warned Mala people … but they didn’t listen.
Kurpany arrives, attacked, killed some of the men. In great fear and confusion, remaining Mala people fled with Kurpany chasing them.
These ancestors are still here today; Luunpa, now a large rock, still keeps watch … Kurpany’s footprints are imprinted into rock heading towards east and south … men who were killed are still in their cave.
Story teaches that it is important to finish what you start … watch for and listen to warnings of danger.
Kuniya-Liru Story
When you walk around Mutitjulu Waterhole, you’re surrounded by presence of 2 ancestral beings – Kuniya, woma python and Liru, poisonous snake.
Deadly battle between Kuniya (woma python woman) and Liru (poisonous snake man) was fought here.
Kuniya came from far away east to hatch her children at Uluru … carried her eggs strung around her neck … brought them to Kuniya Piti on Uluru’s north-east corner, where she left them on the ground.
Kuniya camped at Taputji, hunted in nearby sandhills … leaving deep grooves in rock as she entered and left her camp.
Her young nephew enraged a group of Liru, poisonous brown snake-men, came from south-west to take revenge on him. Seeing him resting at base of Uluru … rushed him, hurling spears … leaving series of round holes in rock … still evident today. Seriously outnumbered, young Kuniya died.
When news of young Kuniya’s death reached his aunt on other side of Uluru, she was overcome with grief and anger. She raced along curves of rock to Mutitjulu Waterhole … confronted one of Liru warriors, who mocked her grieve and rage.
Kuniya drew on all her strength … began dance of immense power and magic … scooped up sand, rubbed over her body … spreading like poison … saturating the area …
Kuniya took her wana (digging stick) … struck head of Liru … and hit him again across the head.
He fell dead … dropping his shield near Mutitjulu. Kuniya herself remains as a sinuous black line on eastern wall. The blows she struck are two deep cracks on western wall … Liru’s shield, now a large boulder, lies where it fell.
See how creation stories are played out on Uluru surface … Kuniya and her spirit still protect caves used by Anangu.
Conclusion
There are variety walks, tracks, hiking trails around 9.4 km length of Uluru-Kata Tjuta, easy or difficult … all trails tell a story … take time to walk where ancients walked … whistling winds … singing birds … The Dreaming … ancient stories … animal, bird life … flora, fauna … truly living cultural landscape … Central Australia.
