Skip to main content

Did the Aboriginal People ever talk to you about regulating or closing the climb? NO.

Q. Did the Aboriginal people ever talk to you about either regulating the use of, or even closing the climb?
A. NO.
In 1997 Derek Roff, former Head Ranger of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park from 1968 to 1985, recorded a detailed (7.5 hr) interview with the Northern Territory Archives Oral History Unit. Topics covered Derek's time as a policeman in Kenya, emigration to Australia in the mid 1960s, and his experience and insights as Chief Ranger of the Park. The interview provides a fascinating insight into the development of the Park from 1968 through to the 1985 handover and beyond. Roff explodes many myths including the "We never climb" message and problems with photography.

Derek was asked a number of questions about Aboriginal attitudes to the climb while he served as head Ranger for 17 years. His response indicates that the climb held no concerns to senior Aboriginal Elders, leaving one wondering what caused the "unchanging" Tjukurpa to alter so significantly after the Federal Government took over administration of the park in 1985.

In it's statement about the ban on climbing the Park Board, indicated that "Anangu have felt a sense of intimidation, as if someone is holding a gun to our heads to keep it open". Reading Derek's Roff recollection of Principal Owner of the Rock, Paddy Uluru and his great sense of humour, it seems it would be a great insult to Paddy's memory to suggest he was intimidated by anyone.

Short extract from Derek Roff's interview:
Did the Aboriginal people ever talk to you about either regulating the use of, or even closing the climb?
No. No, they never did. That never came up. There's often a statement I've read recently, and what-have-you, that the Aboriginal people never climbed it. Now, that, to me, doesn't quite ring true, (a) because there a number of sites on the top of course, that have got stories and names and what-have-you.
Paddy Uluru used to tell me about climbing the Rock. It seemed to me that it was mainly the senior, traditional people who climbed, rather than everybody. But there was no doubt about it, that ceremonies were carried out in certain areas up there, that people did climb it.
I'm just trying to think of the name of the Aboriginal people who went up with Mountford — Lively — Lively Pakalinga, Nipper's brother, older brother. He climbed it with Mountford, and explained some of the stories up there and what-have-you.
So, I must say, certainly it was climbed — not maybe by everybody, but certainly the traditional people. And they never _ _ you know, Paddy Uluru never mentioned the possibility of that to me. And I think, if he had had a concern about it, he would have, as he did with the cave.
But I don't know, I must say, there it is. It's a thing that's come up now, by a different group of people. Well, fair enough. They've got their interpretation.

Derek Roff and Paddy Uluru, as pictured in Roff's Ayers Rock 

So, Derek, all of the time that you were living and working with the Aboriginal people, nobody ever intimated that maybe use of the climb by tourists was offensive or inappropriate?
Not to me. No, they didn't. I must say, in actual fact, that was where the name for the tourists came up — 'minga' — it was watching them climb the Rock. And it was more a sense of fun than anything else.
I remember old Paddy Uluru being at the bottom of the climb one day, with him, and we were just talking about this and that. Alongside the climb is a sacred path. And we were just talking about this and that, and one of the American blue rinse set came up to him (and rather effusive, as they used to get) and she said: 'Oh, you going to the climb the Rock?'
And he said: 'No, missus. If I go up there, I might fall on me f-ing arse!' [Laughs] Well, that brought the conversation to a fairly rapid close. [Laughter] Paddy was a man of many words.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Mount Warning: Aboriginal claims about summit climb are contested

"How can the public experience the spiritual significance of this land if they do not climb the summit and witness creation."   Ngaraakwal Elder Marlene Boyd RIP   NSW NPWS have the following description about Aboriginal attitudes to people climbing to the summit of Mt Warning on their webpage about the walking track: Wollumbin, which means ‘cloud catcher’ to some Aboriginal People, is a traditional place of cultural law, initiation and spiritual education for the people of the Bundjalung Nation. Under Bundjalung law, only certain people can climb the summit. Out of respect for their law and culture, consider not climbing the summit. These claims, including the very name applied to the mountain, are contested and it seems there is another story that NSW NPWS have not properly acknowledged and have long kept from public attention.  We came across this article from the Daily News February 24 2007 about Ngaraakwal Elder Marlene Boyd that makes for interesting reading. It seems

Mt Warning - Summit signing, time capsule

A Mt Warning Visit, summit signing Drove up the long road from Sydney, leaving early to grab a beer at the Mt Warning Hotel at Uki in the afternoon. There's a nice view of the summit from the smoker's deck. The tip of the mountain was catching clouds and then letting them go. I met Roger, a one-legged ex- navy seal and former security guard to Gloria Estafan. He was an interesting bloke, sucking a large Cuban cigar and slamming spiced rum on ice. He had one eye, apparently, he had lost the other blue pearl in a firefight with Somali terrorists in the Persian Gulf. We had a brief discussion of current affairs and the insanity of public parks being closed for no good reason, and vandalism of the tourism industry by a woke broken Bureaucracy - just light conversation. I mentioned I had a mission that might suit him and he agreed to join in. We headed to the Mt Warning Rainforest Caravan Park. Mt Warning from the Mt Warning Hotel Roads around the area are still not repaired from la

Chain and post removed at Mount Warning Summit Walk

The current situation is a disgrace and an insult to Park users and all Australians.  The Minister must instigate an independent audit and review of NSW NPWS management of the Park and develop a brighter vision of the Park's future.  The walk to the summit of Mt Warning in northern NSW is an iconic experience of the natural world. Views from the summit on a clear day provide an unrivaled vista over the Tweed River Valley, lush rainforests, eroded volcanic landscape and beaches on the coast. They fill visitors with a sense of awe and wonder. From a geological perspective, it is arguably the best-preserved erosion caldera in the world.  The 4.4km (8.8km return) track was completed in 1909 but the hike was firmly established as a popular tourist attraction in  1929  with the declaration of the area around the mountain as a National Park. The opening ceremony was attended at the summit by 200 people, some rode horses up the trail. The standard of the early track construction is extreme