Rocking the world this week is this news that a stripper climbs and is filmed dancing on Uluru(once called Ayers Rock) in Northern Territory, Australia.Well personally I'm appalled.
Why?
Well can you imagine how we would feel if the same act was performed in some of our sacred sites?Westminster Abby,The Vatican, or even inside your own local church down the road.
Sure, she can now attempt to justify her actions,(now that she's made her claim to infamy in the news media and no doubt some women's magazine is now discussing just how much they will offer her for her story...) but the repercussions may go further.
Because the local indigenous tribe the Anangu are rightly offended and since they are the owners of Uluru which is leased by the Anangu people to Parks Australia, perhaps they will now move to ban all visitors from climbing Uluru.
Alison Hunt, traditional owner and member of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Board of management said she was "angry and disgusted" at the stunt.
"This is an important spiritual place," she said. "It's not a tribute to the traditional owners, it's an insult.
"We try to share our land and work together and we think it is disgusting for someone to try and make money out of our sacred land," Ms Hunt said.
Yes, the Anangu share Uluru with us all, and do ask us, the visitors there not to climb Uluru and treat it with respect.It's theirs.They have a right to ask that.
And they certainly have a right to have their sacred sites, their property respected as they would want.
I posted the following over at my favourite travel forum-
The wateringhole.gapadventures travel forum
Looks like it may have it's repercussions in bringing in a closure of climbing earlier than was intended.
There are some ignorant acts done by unthinking people ....sad to see this happen.
And away there where the wind is blown
Never before felt so alone
More aware of skin and bone
I watch the parade of human folk
Strips of rubber,cans of Coke
Making dust and blowing smoke
Where the awe-inspiring power of time
Leaves some fearful,some sublime
White man feels his progress prime
Black man feels no urge to climb.
John Williamson , 1989 Warragul recording of Ancient Mountains.A CD I brought back from our Kimberley adventure.It's a song about the diferent atitudes Aboriginal and Europeans have to the mountains, and Uluru in particular.
Do we all practise respect for other cultures, their beliefs and religions as we travel?
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