Travelling through inland Australia: Days 21 and 22

June 22,

Sorry that I didn't publish a post yesterday. I decided to have a night off.

Yesterday, we had a little rest. I took part in the Mala Walk, a guided walk along a short part of the base of Uluru while Bev was engaged in Minimaku (meaning about or pertaining to women); she stayed home and did some washing.

The walk was a very enlightening experience. It was conducted by an indigenous ranger who, while coming from another part of the country and not an Anangu person, know a great deal about Uluru and the Tjukurpa creation stories. He started our walk by describing the geology of the rock and explaining in easily-understood layperson's language how Uluru and Kata Tjuta were formed. He then took us along the Mala track and explained to us what we were seeing from the traditional Anangu perspective. He also told us some of the creation stories, or at least those parts of the stories that are told in this area. The primary creation story of how the earth came to be was uncannily similar to the first chapter of Genesis in the Bible.

Having heard these stories, we found ourselves looking at the features of the rock in a whole new light. At one particular spot, he took us into a large overhang or shelter which Anangu women had traditionally used as their place and a place in which to prepare food. I found myself looking at this structure and trying, with the help of my fast-disappearing geomorphic knowledge, to work out how it might have been formed. I began thinking of wind and water erosion, of chemical reactions and a few other esoteric possible explanations. Then the ranger gave the traditional explanation. It was created by a creation being who was chasing the Mala men. And of course he was right. Why, you can even see the huge footprint this gigantic creature left behind when he kicked this hole in the side of Uluru.

This is imprint left by the creation being's left foot. If you look carefully, you can see his big toe and at least two other toes

This photo is important for another reason. The lower part of the wall of the shelter shows the true colour of the sandstone making up Uluru. As you can see, it is a bluey-grey. The sandstone has a high iron content and as it oxidises, the rock takes on its orange-red colour. Yes, Uluru is rusting!

While this cave is used by women, there are other caves and shelters that are reserved for men and for boys undergoing their initiation. This is like high school. The boys learn all that is necessary to fully understand and continue the culture into which they have been born and how to survive in this country. Their cave has many diagrams and figures drawn on the walls. However, this is not art. Rather, the shelter is a school room and the wall is the blackboard.

Today has been a very easy day. The weather is not very pleasant. There is a strong, cold wind blowing and I am wearing my heaviest fleece. So we have contented ourselves with a very nice lunch at Cafe Gecko and a wander around the art shop and museum. Yesterday, we bought a little piece of artwork from a group of indigenous artists. But today, we kept our hands in our pockets!

Tomorrow is moving day. We are going to King's Canyon. In the meantime here are some more images from the Mala Walk.