Thread: Ayers Rock

speak now or forever hold your peace

Not to put to fine a point on it but if i was aboriginal i would call it Ularu. I am of European descent so i call it Ayers Rock. Oh and i will be climbing it when i go out there later this year. Because its there and i want to. Much the same spirit that has put men on the moon and accounted for most other accomplishments of men.

As a Territorian and Central Australian whose origins and associations are irrelevant.

The Rock will always hold importance for all people not just those who have an association with it by location or birth.
As does every mountain, valley, beach and river, have special association for many Australians.

Climb or dont climb is an individual choice, offered to visitors by the Local Indigenous Elders, who have and will continue to exercise, the full right to allow or disallow access. As has been exercised on many occassions.

I respect whichever choice anyone makes because they have been given a choice. It should also be noted that not all indigenous folk from the area see things the same way. Just like every where else in the world.

However,
I suggest that those whom believe that the climbing of Ayers Rock / Uluru is the same as desecrating a Cathedral should firstly learn what the difference between desecration and respect really is.

While continuing to hold firm to that belief, they should further consider and apply this universally to the rest of their activities in every day life by, immediately selling their 4wd and camping gear, desist from entering any remaining bushland regardless of permissions or designations from any authority.
Every part of this country has significant Indigenous and European history, heritage and level of sanctity for all generations of Australian regardless of their individual origins.

I trust this same attitude and "respect" will apply when travelling overseas also.

But for some smug people climbing a Sacred rock is apparently not the same as climbing the dome at St Peters Basilica or roaming over historic battlefields. It is supposedly more like entering St Peters and carving your name into the alter or doing donuts on the Somme.
I would suggest those same people have and will continue, to "desecrate" the many places they have and intend to visit in the future.

When individuals point fingers and call people desecrators for climbing a rock with permission but choose to ignore they just drove over the land that used to be the traditional owners and paid a tour operator what could have gone into the traditional owners pockets or felt good about themselves for tossing some spare change into a donation box.... take good long look at yourselves before pointing a finger at someone else.

Found this old photo I took on the trip. May be of interest as one does not see this now.



Didiman

Originally Posted by ramblingboy42

Is there any chance we may all call Uluru by its correct name? Dont let your stubborness spoil history. It was never Ayers Rock, never will be. I know a lot of people will point blank refuse to but why be ignorant?

What a retarded statement, political correctness and all that, pfft, it's a big rock, was there before my cousins and will be there long after

Originally Posted by 123rover50

Found this old photo I took on the trip. May be of interest as one does not see this now.



Didiman

You have some awesome old photos, Please keep sharing

Well, what a can of worms that opened up.

Everyone is entitled to their beliefs of what is right and wrong in "their" eyes. I dont believe in any deity, god or otherwise, but have no problems with those who wish to believe in whatever they wish to believe in. Please dont make assumptions about what "you" think my mindset is from an innocuous post. After all most of you dont know me.

I did not post this to inflame public opinion, only out of interests sake and I have no intention of apologising to anyone regardless of "their" opinions. As others have pointed out, the same could be directed at anyone these days for walking anywhere.

For those who "are" interested, I have climbed Uluru/Ayers Rock on 4 occasions, 1975 at 22, 1981, 1985 and now in 2011 at 58 and I may add, I "will" climb it again.

As an aside, I know the chain was there in 1975, but when was it installed? There used to be a gap in the chain too. It was still there in 1985, so when were the two sections joined up?

I reckon it had to be about 1964 or so.The original was two separate sections and I thought they were joined round about 76 or so.
Regards
Glen