The Rock Tour Day 2 - Ayers Rock @Uluru National Park

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park was World Heritage Listed in 1987 for its ongoing geological formation and unique flora and fauna. In 1994 it became the second place in the world to be listed as a cultural landscape. Known by early Europeans as Ayers Rock the aboriginal name Uluru was acknowledged in 1983. Anangu (traditioal owners) have always been associated with Uluru and continue to look after 'country' and Tjukurpa (law) through joint management with Parks Australia. Geologists says Uluru is made form sedimentary rock called arkose sandstone. The average temperature in summer is 37.8oC. The height of Uluru is 348mt above the plain and the distance around the base totals approx 9.4km.

Here I Am!!! Ayers Rock!!!

Day 2 afternoon, we have a shorter walk: Mala Walk - From Mala carpark to Kantju Gorge

Before the walk, Mr Tour Guide tells us that visitors mainly come from Austrilia and Japan, due to the Japanese pure love movie/drama/fiction - Crying Out Love In The Center Of The World. Hahaha, you should understand me, I have been touched by the story for 10 years!

He also mentions the accidents that visitors climb Ayers Rock, and the latest happened last month, was a Taiwanese guy. He looks at me@@ I claim that I am from Hong Kong immediately! So embrassing>_<

Please Bear In Mind:

PLEASE DON'T CLIMB ULURU
'That's a really important thing you are climbing. You shouldn't climb. It's not the real thing about this place. The real thing is listening to everything. We are obliged by Tjukurpa (traditional law) to teach people what behaviour is appropriate.'

Itjaritjariku Yuu
In the Tjukurpa (creation time), the ancestral Minyma Itjaritjari (marsupial mole woman) built this shelter and yuu (windbreak). The yuu is the large wedge-shaped stone at the opening to this cave. The holes in the rocks above the cave have been tunnelled out by Itjaritjariku...

Kulpi Nyiinkaku - Teaching cave
For many generation, Anangu elders taught nyiinka (bush boys) in this cave how to travel in this country and survive. Generations of grandfathers painted these pictures, like a teacher uses a school blackboard, to teach nyiinka how to track and hunt kuka (food animals). Nyiinka would then be taken into the bush to learn about country - where the waterholes are, where to find the animals, where to source materials for their tools and weapons...

Kulpi Watiku - The men's cave
The Mala people came from the north and could see Uluru. It looked like a good place to stay a while and make inma (ceremony). Men raised Ngaltawata (ceremonial pole) - the inma had begun...

Mala Puta
Mala Puta is an Anagu women's site and is sacred under Tjukurpa (traditional law). The rock details and features are equivalent to a sacred scripture; they describe culturally important information and must be viewed in their original location. Particular senior women are responsible for these stories which are passed down from grandmother to granddaughter. In an oral culture, stories are family inheritance. Under Tjukurpa, cultural knowledge is earned and with it comes great cultural responsibility...

Behind the sensitive site


Kulpi Minymaku
Women, girls and small children would camp here. The women would go out into the bush to collect mai (bush foods) and return to the cave to process them...

Tjilpi Pampa Kulpi
This is where the old people sat. You can see the ceiling is blackened from their fires. During Mala ceremonies the men who were too old to participate would rest in this cave. They would make sure the women and children did not enter the men's ceremonial areas...

Kantju Gorge
This waterhole was the main source of water during the Mala ceremonies and for generation and generations our people and wildlife have depended upon it for survival...

Kapi - Water
After rain the burrowing frogs come out and quickly search for a mate. The females lay many eggs that hatch into kurtji kurtji (tadpoles)...

Then we return and go to Car Sunset to watch sunset.