Why Is Ayers Rock Sacred?

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mad_moker

Having lived in Alice Springs for a while... about 6 years... and dealing with aboriginies quite extensively, both educated and uneducated. I can say that the aboriginies told stories as lessons to their children to teach them the ways that they would need to survive and to keep order to the society. The dreamtime belief was born from this.
Much the same as most other religious systems it was a tool of learning the structure of the society and how to function within it. Hence each story is a lesson and the importance of the site is linked to the lesson and the great importance of the lesson to the tribe from that area.
Aboriginies were, in the arid centre, a nomadic people and also were very territorial and tribal... ( this was required to survive) to say that Ularu had significance to all Aboriginies for thousands of years is a joke. It had significance because of the important lesson that it represented to the tribe from that area. The "gods" that people talk of for the Aboriginies never existed, an honest one will tell you that. The animals were make believe, hence the "dream" time. The lessons and the importance of the lesons is real and this relates to the structure of their society and culture. They are as such a sacred as our laws.

I personally have climbed the rock several times. Each time was amazing. The significance of the area and it's beauty is amazing. I have the upmost respect for the ways of the Aboriginies.

As a side note really when you look at it the definition of an Aborigini is one who is native to a land. The definition of native is to be born of the land. So that would (even though I am a white Australian, who has heritage in Austrlia back to the early 1800's) make me an Aborigini. Then of course you could look at the fact that the Aboriginies displaced the asiatic man about 40,000 years ago. So they themselves are imagrants really. The fact is and I guess my point is that the aboriginies never had a cohesive nation... that amongst many other things has been adopted or imposed by European mentality. They instead had smallish tribes who belonged... or owned... certain territories in the land. It was not uncommon for tribal wars and land to be aquired from the poor displaced tribe. Sound familiar???

I don't know if this helps but it is my best understanding from having actually had similar discussions with elders from tribes from a fairly large area in central Australia.

Oooroo!!

nosdda

Ayers rock is not a sacred symbol to us, but it is sacred to the aborigines and has been for thousands of years. They believe it is the home of their gods and all the spirits of their dead live there. That is why they dislike the tourists going there because they think they will disturb the spirits.

flips

it belongs to the original Australians, the aborigines.
the tourists should stay the hell off it

Doethineb

Ayers Rock and Olga Rocks have been an important focus of the spiritual life of the region's Aborigines for thousands of years. Aboriginal rock paintings cover the walls of many of the caves of Ayers Rock.

There is something totally awe-inspiring about Uluru. There it sits in the centre of Australia, rising out of the desert. No wonder the local Aborigines regarded it as a sacred site.

In the language of the local Aborigines 'Uluru' is simply a place name which is applied to both the rock and the waterhole on top of the rock. 'Yulara', the resort located 21 km from the base of the rock, means 'crying' or 'weeping' in the language of the local Pitjantjatjara and Yunkunytjatjara peoples. It is a focus of their profoundest feelings.

scott G

the aboriginals are the ones it is sacred to, thier spirts of their ancestors are believed to dwell there.

K R

its sacred because Aboriginal beliefs say it is - it is a reminder of the greatness of god and stuff and so should be worshipped from afar, not tramped upon by tourists looking for a sunset to send home...

Bookworm

I think it might be an aboriginal burial ground.

sananabetahi

It is a holy site for the Australian Aboriginal People. Part of their culture.

ragingmk

If you go to this web-page and scroll to a point about half way down it gives you the answer.

iansand9876

It is sacred for the same reason that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is sacred. Or The Dome of the Rock, or Mecca, or the Ganges at Varanasi, or Lourdes. It is a site associated with a particular religion.

auskan2002

It's name is no longer Ayers Rock, but Uluru and it is a sacred site of the Aborigines, our native people.

gillybean

It's called Uluru (not sure about spelling) by the Aborigines and they believe it is an ancient burial ground,possibly from the Dreamtime and so is sacred.

Warlock Fiend

It trembles when so many people visit it. Plus it doesn't like the dark.

Oh sorry, I thought you said Scared

jimmy surgeon

I worked for MI5, and know that that it houses nuclear weaponry owned by the Aborigines. This is classified information.

a dingo ate my baby.

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