The images, as usual, say it all.
This is how they appreciate nature. This is how we do it.
By defiling it with the kind of ironmongery Frida Kahlo would have been familiar with, and trampling the fuck all over it.....at a rate of 250 people a day - that's 100,000 a year.
The federal government is finally proposing a ban on the climbing of Uluru. Resistance to the ban is loudest from the federal opposition (no surprises there) with the shadow environment minister Greg Hunt declaring that 'Big Brother is coming to Uluru to slam the gate closed on an Australian tourism icon'. Hello.......who's icon?This is how they appreciate nature. This is how we do it.
By defiling it with the kind of ironmongery Frida Kahlo would have been familiar with, and trampling the fuck all over it.....at a rate of 250 people a day - that's 100,000 a year.
Climbing Uluru has continued against the wishes of the Anangu since 1985 when they regained custodianship of the rock. Tribal members say that they want people to learn about their culture and listen to them, and that climbing is 'not the real thing about this place, the real thing is listening...' There has been a reduction in the number of climbers since the Anangu erected 'do not climb' notices at the site, but perhaps this has more to do with the 30 'climbing' deaths that have occurred there.
The Lonely Planet Travel guide compares climbing the rock to 'clambering over the altar in Notre Dame Cathedral'. So that's what the Chaser boys were getting busted for on the early news. I think they made their point. But the most disturbing mental image The Age report conjured up for me was the reference to tourists defacating on the rock - because there are no toilets up there of course. So would you stand by and watch someone shit on your church, or something that was sacred to you? I think I would smack their white arses very hard (and yellow, brown and everything in between)
I think the Aboriginal people of this country have been unbelievably patient and long-suffering with us dumb whities. This is stuff we would have gone to war for, and did, in the old tribal clan days in Great Britain and Europe.
Wake up Australia - it really is time.
Photograph: Bryan Charlton, the Age, July 9, 2009
Photograh: Alamy, Guardian 8 July 2009
The Lonely Planet Travel guide compares climbing the rock to 'clambering over the altar in Notre Dame Cathedral'. So that's what the Chaser boys were getting busted for on the early news. I think they made their point. But the most disturbing mental image The Age report conjured up for me was the reference to tourists defacating on the rock - because there are no toilets up there of course. So would you stand by and watch someone shit on your church, or something that was sacred to you? I think I would smack their white arses very hard (and yellow, brown and everything in between)
I think the Aboriginal people of this country have been unbelievably patient and long-suffering with us dumb whities. This is stuff we would have gone to war for, and did, in the old tribal clan days in Great Britain and Europe.
Wake up Australia - it really is time.
Photograph: Bryan Charlton, the Age, July 9, 2009
Photograh: Alamy, Guardian 8 July 2009
