Uluru
Door: Anja
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30 April 2013 | Australië, Yulara
Uluru, the Setting
Uluru is a giant monolith located in the southwestern corner of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is some 460 kilometres by road from Alice Springs, the city in the centre of Australia.
The Aboriginal people of the region, who refer to themselves as Anangu, are believed to have lived ther for at least 22.000 years. The traditional languages spoken there are Pitjantjatjara and Yankunitjatjara, both dialects of the Western Desert language.
The surrounding country is semi desert with an annual rainfall averaging only 200 mm per year.
This part of Australia is known as The Red Centre, a name which comes from the colour of the iron oxide in the sand and the rocks.
Animal life and plant life are well adapted to the arid climate. There are many plant species such as trees and bushes wich endure the long periods of drought with their modified leaves, branches and root systems. Other plants are drought avoiders, existing for most of their lives as seeds on the desert ground. The seeds germinate after sufficient rain, then rapidly grow stems, leaves and flowers. Finally they produce seeds again before the body of the plant dies. These seeds may lie on the ground for years before conditions are right for them to germinate again.
The animals are mostly adapted to become active at night or in the cooler part of the day. During the heat of the day they rest in burrows or in caves and shady areas. Snades and lizards are the most common reptiles. This regon of Australia has more species of lizards than anywhere else on Earth.
Tjukurpa
Aboriginal people say that the land was created in the Tjukurpa, or Creation Time. Some non- Aboriginal people call it the Dreamtime, but this is noet an appropriate name because it has nothing to do with dreams.
The land was created by the Ancestors- supernatural beings who had some characteristics of animals and some characteristics of people. They could change shape from animal to human and back again.
As the Ancestors crossed the land, creating all the mountains, valleys, rivers, sand dunes and waterholes, they had various experiences during their journeys
Wherever some important event took place, energy was left in the ground. Aboriginal people believe they can be affected by this energy.
Therefore, all across Australia, ther are many places which are sacred to the Aboriginal people living in that area.
But Tjukurpa is more complicated than that. As well as telling how the world come to be, Tjukurpa lays down the laws for human behaviour – how to relate to other people, how relate to animals and plants, how to look after the land, even how to prepare certain foods.
Tjukurpa is the past, the present and the future. It is passed down from generation to generation.
Uluru is a very important place in the Tjukurpa because several of the Ancestors passed this way.
Uluru is also a very sacred place. Some of the Ancestors are still here.
Uluru is a giant monolith located in the southwestern corner of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is some 460 kilometres by road from Alice Springs, the city in the centre of Australia.
The Aboriginal people of the region, who refer to themselves as Anangu, are believed to have lived ther for at least 22.000 years. The traditional languages spoken there are Pitjantjatjara and Yankunitjatjara, both dialects of the Western Desert language.
The surrounding country is semi desert with an annual rainfall averaging only 200 mm per year.
This part of Australia is known as The Red Centre, a name which comes from the colour of the iron oxide in the sand and the rocks.
Animal life and plant life are well adapted to the arid climate. There are many plant species such as trees and bushes wich endure the long periods of drought with their modified leaves, branches and root systems. Other plants are drought avoiders, existing for most of their lives as seeds on the desert ground. The seeds germinate after sufficient rain, then rapidly grow stems, leaves and flowers. Finally they produce seeds again before the body of the plant dies. These seeds may lie on the ground for years before conditions are right for them to germinate again.
The animals are mostly adapted to become active at night or in the cooler part of the day. During the heat of the day they rest in burrows or in caves and shady areas. Snades and lizards are the most common reptiles. This regon of Australia has more species of lizards than anywhere else on Earth.
Tjukurpa
Aboriginal people say that the land was created in the Tjukurpa, or Creation Time. Some non- Aboriginal people call it the Dreamtime, but this is noet an appropriate name because it has nothing to do with dreams.
The land was created by the Ancestors- supernatural beings who had some characteristics of animals and some characteristics of people. They could change shape from animal to human and back again.
As the Ancestors crossed the land, creating all the mountains, valleys, rivers, sand dunes and waterholes, they had various experiences during their journeys
Wherever some important event took place, energy was left in the ground. Aboriginal people believe they can be affected by this energy.
Therefore, all across Australia, ther are many places which are sacred to the Aboriginal people living in that area.
But Tjukurpa is more complicated than that. As well as telling how the world come to be, Tjukurpa lays down the laws for human behaviour – how to relate to other people, how relate to animals and plants, how to look after the land, even how to prepare certain foods.
Tjukurpa is the past, the present and the future. It is passed down from generation to generation.
Uluru is a very important place in the Tjukurpa because several of the Ancestors passed this way.
Uluru is also a very sacred place. Some of the Ancestors are still here.
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