Also known as Ayers Rock.
Nearly smack in the middle of Australia is what geologists designate an inselberg, "island mountain," composed of sandstone.
It is one big rock: no seams, so it doesn't have anything growing on it.
According to Wikipedia, in Norbert Brockman's (1997) Encyclopedia of Sacred Places. Uluru was formed when two tribes of ancestral spirits who were invited to a feast, but were distracted by the beautiful Sleepy Lizard Women and did not show up. In response, the angry hosts sang evil into a mud sculpture that came to life as the dingo. There followed a great battle, which ended in the deaths of the leaders of both tribes. The earth itself rose up in grief at the bloodshed, becoming Uluru.
It's a sacred place, so climbing on it is discouraged and parts of it should not be photographed.
Pretty amazing.
Nearly smack in the middle of Australia is what geologists designate an inselberg, "island mountain," composed of sandstone.
It is one big rock: no seams, so it doesn't have anything growing on it.
According to Wikipedia, in Norbert Brockman's (1997) Encyclopedia of Sacred Places. Uluru was formed when two tribes of ancestral spirits who were invited to a feast, but were distracted by the beautiful Sleepy Lizard Women and did not show up. In response, the angry hosts sang evil into a mud sculpture that came to life as the dingo. There followed a great battle, which ended in the deaths of the leaders of both tribes. The earth itself rose up in grief at the bloodshed, becoming Uluru.
It's a sacred place, so climbing on it is discouraged and parts of it should not be photographed.
Pretty amazing.
Was there food at the feast? They should have gone. I want to be invited to a feast. No woman is good enough that you should miss food for her.
ReplyDeleteSo which parts can't be photographed? What is on them?
Maybe they weren't good cooks. Of course, if you could sing evil into a mud sculpture and have it become a dingo (seems appropriate, given what I know about dingos), why couldn't you take some of that power and sing up some dark chocolate?
ReplyDeleteThe parts that can't be photographed can't be photographed not because of what is on them but because of the rites associated with them. Some portions of the rock are reserved for performing sacred ceremonies for women, others for men, some for grownups, so there is a taboo associated with some locations. To avoid someone (who isn't supposed to) coming across the spots accidentally, people are asked to refrain from taking pictures of it that could fall into the wrong hands or end up widespread on something like the internet.
It has been too long since I vacationed virtually. I am hoping that none of the parts we are seeing here is something supposed to be unseen. I don't need any vengeful spirits haunting me.
ReplyDelete