Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Australia) is Aboriginal land, jointly managed by its traditional owners Anangu and Parks Australia. Having worked in parks for 28 years, I was fascinated by this partnership.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park 1,325 square kilometers in size, is in the spiritual heart of Australia’s Red Centre in the Northern Territory, about 450 kilometers or a four and a half hour drive from Alice Springs, the nearest major town. Rising out of the surrounding Central Australian desert, Uluru and Kata Tjuta dominate the landscape. The spectacular red rocks and domes are millions upon millions of years old.
An Australian icon, Uluru rises 348 meters above the plain, more than 860 meters above sea level. That’s higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The true majesty is in its location, rising out of kilometer after kilometer of flat desert plain. Sunrises and sunsets are spectacular here with the rock and its surrounding landscape awash in colors.
Uluru might be one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks, but it’s also a hugely important part of the country’s cultural history. The landscape surrounding the monolith has been inhabited for thousands and thousands of years – long before it was “officially” discovered in the 1800s. Today, Uluru and the Aboriginal culture that imbues the area are very much entwined in a historic narrative that spans generations.
The natural landmark is thought to have been formed by ancestral beings during the fabled Dreamtime. According to the local Aboriginal people, Uluru’s numerous caves and fissures prove this. Even today, rituals are still held in the caves around the base – spots where tourists aren’t allowed to snap photos out of respect.
For many, Uluru and its neighbour Kata Tjuta aren’t just rocks, they are living, breathing, cultural landscapes that are incredibly sacred. Owned by the Ananou people, they still act as guardians of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and are the oldest culture known to man.
So back to the partnership….
On 26 October 1985, the Governor General presented the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park title deeds back to Anangu , the traditional owners, at a ceremony at the base of the rock. Five minutes later the traditional owners signed an agreement leasing the park back to the Director of National Parks for 99 years. (Pretty cool that there was this much trust and respect)
Anangu land management had kept the country healthy for many generations. A lot of damage has been done since piranpa (non-Aboriginal) people arrived. Today, Anangu work together with park rangers and scientists to look after the land, plants and animals according to traditional law. Piranpa (non-Anangu) rangers receive training in traditional land management. Piranpa rangers bring scientific knowledge to the park. Young Anangu are training to be rangers. They are studying science as well as learning from the old men and women – their elders.
Since the hand-back, Anangu and Parks Australia staff have worked together to manage the park. All management policy and programs aim to:
- maintain Anangu culture and heritage
- conserve and protect the integrity of the ecological systems in and around the park
- provide for visitor enjoyment and learning opportunities within the park.
Tjukurpa, Anangu traditional law, knowledge and religious philosophy, guides everything that happens in the park – as it has done for thousands of years.
This concept is expressed on the cover of the Parks Management Plan by the words:
“Tjukurpa Katutja Ngarantja” – Tjukurpa (the Anangu word for a timeless law and religion) above all else.
For Anangu, Tjukurpa provides answers to important questions, the rules for behavior and for living together. It is the law of caring for each other and the land that supports them. Tjukurpa tells of the relationships between people, plants, animals and the physical features of the land. It is the past, present and future – all at the same time.
“I think Aboriginal people and Parks Australia have been working together really well… the traditional owners and Parks Australia are experts the way we look after our great national park for all Aboriginal people and for the people of Australia and overseas visitors to come and see and enjoy.” – Yami Lester – Board Chairman 1986 – 1996
The symbol of this partnership is a beautiful painting titled “Working Together” by Jennifer Taylor. The central circle represents Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The twelve seated gures are the members of the Board of Management: four pairs of male and female Anangu (the brown) and four Piranpa (the white). They have surrounded the park with a yuu, a traditional windbreak. This is the protection that their decisions and policies provide both for the culture and the environment of the park, as well as for park visitors.
Waiting and listening to the Board’s decisions are the Anangu and Piranpa rangers. The Anangu rangers are barefoot, representing their close connection with the land and knowledge derived from thousands of years of looking after the land. The Piranpa rangers wear shoes, representing their land management training and knowledge derived from European scientific traditions.
Surrounding all are two more yuu (windbreaks) representing the protection and support ofTjukurpa (Anangu traditional law) and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, which are working together to guide and protect the management of Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park.
Undulating sand dunes and rich bushland circle the park.
A beautiful tribute to an amazing partnership, and one I believe we can all learn from.
Leave a Reply