Why is Uluru sacred to the Anangu?
Uluru is sacred to the Anangu because, in their Tjukurpa, or traditional law, its shapes, caves and waterholes were formed by ancestral beings whose actions still guide Anangu life today.
Tjukurpa is often translated as the Dreaming, but Anangu say it covers law, knowledge, religion and the creation of the world. Stories of ancestral beings, such as Kuniya the woma python and Liru the venomous snake, are recorded in features of the rock.
On the southern side of Uluru, marks on the rock are said to show the battle between Kuniya and Liru. Other stories explain the Mala, the rufous hare-wallaby people, who travelled to Uluru for ceremonies.
Respecting the rock
Some parts of Uluru are linked to men's or women's sacred knowledge. Visitors are asked not to photograph these areas, which are signposted.
For decades, Anangu asked tourists not to climb, because the climb follows a sacred route of the Mala men. The climb was permanently closed in October 2019.
The Kuniya walk leads to Mutitjulu Waterhole, one of the few permanent water sources around the rock. Visitors can learn these stories from Anangu guides and at the Cultural Centre.
Did You Know?
Anangu feel responsible for visitors' safety at Uluru, and deaths on the climb caused them great sadness.