So you’ve travelled large distances to see an oversized red rock, and when you get there you want to climb it. That’s fine, however, before you set off there are some issues you should be aware of. Uluru is sacred to its Aboriginal owners (the Anangu), who don’t want people climb it. The climbing route is of huge cultural significance, being a pathway of their spiritual ancestors and undertaken by Aboriginal men only on certain ceremonial occasions. Also, some people have died while doing the climb (mostly heart attacks), and as these people are essentially guests, the Anangu feel responsible. Many people don’t do the climb, but until a majority of tourists refuse to do so, the Aussie government will not close the route, regardless of local protests. Put simply, don’t do it if you want to respect the local Aboriginal people.
February 17th, 2012
