literally they’re closing the trail because tourists won’t stop climbing it and a bunch of people have been like “I’m climbing it this year because after this I won’t be able to” like take the hint????
More information is available in the October 2017 article. More things of note:
The climb is in fact being closed in October 2019.
Climbing poses a danger to climbers–as of 2017, there had been “at least 36 known fatalities since the 1950s, and 74 rescues which required medical attention between 2002 and 2009 alone.”
Climbing poses a danger to the longevity of the rock due to erosion.
Climbers seem to have relieved themselves while on the rock, possibly contaminating nearby water sources.
The climb was set to close when less than 20% of visitors took part in it, a goal reached in 2015, but administrative board meetings did not successfully vote to close the climb.
Uluru officially was returned to traditional Anangu owners by the Australian government in 1985, but according to traditional owner Sammy Wilson, “Over the years Anangu have felt a sense of intimidation, as if someone is holding a gun to our heads to keep it open.”
Here’s the full sign:
A June 2018 BBC article interviews traditional owner Pamela Taylor as well as Wilson, who tell some of the sacred stories connected to Uluru (although some stories she doesn’t share, since they are only passed down orally within families). In addition to cultural information, this article discusses some of the struggles of the first inhabitants of Australia to be recognized by the government as the "only Commonwealth country to have never signed a treaty with its first inhabitants.”
At its close, it quotes Tilley, an 11-year-old member of the drumming group Drum Atweme, which performed at the Tjungu cultural festival:
“When I go to the rock and see the paintings in the cave I felt like my great great great grandfather is right beside me[…] We are not allowed to go on the rock or you will be sick because you are stepping on your culture and on your dreaming.”
Why are y’all so dumb? Stop being jennifer lawrences, ignoring that other cultures eold things sacred and you cant just do what u want all the fucking time. ITS LITERALLY SO EASY TO FOLLOW RULES
valar apologist 