This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/oct/25/uluru-bittersweet-handover-anniversary-indigenous-australians
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Hymns ring out over Uluru on 'bittersweet' handback anniversary | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| As the sun dropped lower in the sky and a storm rumbled ominously overhead, the central Australian women’s choir gathered on the red dirt, Uluru forming their backdrop, and began to sing. Harmonised hymns, brought over by missionaries and translated into Aranda and Pitjantjatjara, rang out across the crowd. | As the sun dropped lower in the sky and a storm rumbled ominously overhead, the central Australian women’s choir gathered on the red dirt, Uluru forming their backdrop, and began to sing. Harmonised hymns, brought over by missionaries and translated into Aranda and Pitjantjatjara, rang out across the crowd. |
| The singers, from half a dozen choirs across the central desert, were among hundreds of people who had travelled from as far as Kimberley in Western Australia to commemorate the 1985 handback of Uluru and Kata Tjuta to the Anangu people. | The singers, from half a dozen choirs across the central desert, were among hundreds of people who had travelled from as far as Kimberley in Western Australia to commemorate the 1985 handback of Uluru and Kata Tjuta to the Anangu people. |
| On Monday it will be 30 years to the day since the governor general Sir Ninian Stephen handed the lands – known formerly by non-Indigenous Australia as Ayers Rock and the Olgas – back to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people, the Anangu. | On Monday it will be 30 years to the day since the governor general Sir Ninian Stephen handed the lands – known formerly by non-Indigenous Australia as Ayers Rock and the Olgas – back to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people, the Anangu. |
| The handback of one of Australia’s most culturally important landmarks was controversial at the time and faced strong opposition, including from the NT government. But while this week was one of celebration, the issues faced by Indigenous Australians, including those in the community of Mutitjulu, were not ignored. | The handback of one of Australia’s most culturally important landmarks was controversial at the time and faced strong opposition, including from the NT government. But while this week was one of celebration, the issues faced by Indigenous Australians, including those in the community of Mutitjulu, were not ignored. |
| Sammy Wilson, chairman of the board of Uluru-Kata Tjuta national park, had earlier told media that government funding was misdirected. He added that the controversial Ayers Rock resort was “sucking everything like a vacuum cleaner from Anangu towards the resort” and Anangu people were missing out. | Sammy Wilson, chairman of the board of Uluru-Kata Tjuta national park, had earlier told media that government funding was misdirected. He added that the controversial Ayers Rock resort was “sucking everything like a vacuum cleaner from Anangu towards the resort” and Anangu people were missing out. |
| On Sunday afternoon at Talinguru Nyakunytjaku, south-east of the rock, a moment of silence was held for those who fought for the land but did not live to see the event. The federal indigenous affairs minister, Nigel Scullion, described the day as bittersweet. | On Sunday afternoon at Talinguru Nyakunytjaku, south-east of the rock, a moment of silence was held for those who fought for the land but did not live to see the event. The federal indigenous affairs minister, Nigel Scullion, described the day as bittersweet. |
| While he praised the handback of the land to those “who had always owned it” (the Australian government then leased it as a national park for 99 years) he said successive governments had failed to fulfil one “implicit” part of the agreement: that the Anangu would have a better life because of it. | |
| “By and large, the rock looks the same, and tragically, so does Mutitjulu,” said Scullion. “So what we must do with this celebration is acknowledge the implicit part of the agreement 30 years ago has simply not been completed.” | “By and large, the rock looks the same, and tragically, so does Mutitjulu,” said Scullion. “So what we must do with this celebration is acknowledge the implicit part of the agreement 30 years ago has simply not been completed.” |
| He said the undertaking from here on should be for the local authority and cultural government to work with leaders of territory and federal government to “right that wrong”. “Those opportunities have never been provided in the way that they should have been,” the minister said. | He said the undertaking from here on should be for the local authority and cultural government to work with leaders of territory and federal government to “right that wrong”. “Those opportunities have never been provided in the way that they should have been,” the minister said. |
| Despite their connection to Uluru and Kata Tjuta, there are few people from the community of Mutitjulu working at the resort, despite about 250 Indigenous people being employed there. | Despite their connection to Uluru and Kata Tjuta, there are few people from the community of Mutitjulu working at the resort, despite about 250 Indigenous people being employed there. |
| It remains a community of high unemployment, and only one tour company in the park is Indigenous-owned – the Uluru Aboriginal Tours, operated by Wilson. | It remains a community of high unemployment, and only one tour company in the park is Indigenous-owned – the Uluru Aboriginal Tours, operated by Wilson. |
| Scullion attended the event to represent both the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and the environment minister, Greg Hunt. All speeches were translated into the local Aboriginal language. | Scullion attended the event to represent both the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, and the environment minister, Greg Hunt. All speeches were translated into the local Aboriginal language. |
| The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, also spoke of the dispossession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia and efforts to make amends. “There is more we must do, there is further we must go. It is for us, our generation, to build the connection between equality under the law and opportunity in life,” he said. | The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, also spoke of the dispossession of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia and efforts to make amends. “There is more we must do, there is further we must go. It is for us, our generation, to build the connection between equality under the law and opportunity in life,” he said. |
| Speaking after the event, Shorten told Guardian Australia there should have been at least constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians by now. | Speaking after the event, Shorten told Guardian Australia there should have been at least constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians by now. |
| “There has been a lot of good progress, too, so it’s not a matter of cup half-full or half-empty, but it’s a matter of being truthful,” he said. “What happened here 30 years ago was remarkable but we’ve got to follow through now, with the jobs, the development, the opportunity for people to have some economic power in their lives.” | “There has been a lot of good progress, too, so it’s not a matter of cup half-full or half-empty, but it’s a matter of being truthful,” he said. “What happened here 30 years ago was remarkable but we’ve got to follow through now, with the jobs, the development, the opportunity for people to have some economic power in their lives.” |
| Barbara Tjikatu, whose husband accepted the title deeds in 1985, told the crowd she had been “speaking strongly for this country for very many years”. | Barbara Tjikatu, whose husband accepted the title deeds in 1985, told the crowd she had been “speaking strongly for this country for very many years”. |
| “I’d just like to take the chance to appeal to the government bodies out there,” Tjikatu said. “One of my biggest concerns is those young men of our country and the wonderful pops they have in working here and looking after their country that need resourcing. I’d really like to get some honest commitment for the housing, the education and the employment here, and I don’t want to talk too long,” she said. | “I’d just like to take the chance to appeal to the government bodies out there,” Tjikatu said. “One of my biggest concerns is those young men of our country and the wonderful pops they have in working here and looking after their country that need resourcing. I’d really like to get some honest commitment for the housing, the education and the employment here, and I don’t want to talk too long,” she said. |
| “That’s what I want – equality for the Aboriginal people out here and the work that they do.” | “That’s what I want – equality for the Aboriginal people out here and the work that they do.” |
| As the evening drew closer crowds settled in the red dust to watch the traditional inma, performed by Anangu women and women from the Kimberley region. A group of rowdy children, painted up for their performance, yelled excitedly backstage as they saw Djuki Mala – the Chooky Dancers – preparing for their show. | As the evening drew closer crowds settled in the red dust to watch the traditional inma, performed by Anangu women and women from the Kimberley region. A group of rowdy children, painted up for their performance, yelled excitedly backstage as they saw Djuki Mala – the Chooky Dancers – preparing for their show. |
| Shortly before taking the stage to close the festivities, the singer Dan Sultan told the Guardian he had been at the original handback with his parents as a toddler. | Shortly before taking the stage to close the festivities, the singer Dan Sultan told the Guardian he had been at the original handback with his parents as a toddler. |
| “I don’t really remember much ... but yeah it’s good to be here. I’ve been lucky enough to come here and perform here a few times now throughout the years, but to be at the handover [anniversary], it’s great,” he said. | “I don’t really remember much ... but yeah it’s good to be here. I’ve been lucky enough to come here and perform here a few times now throughout the years, but to be at the handover [anniversary], it’s great,” he said. |
| “It’s obviously really important to these people, this is their country, this is their spirit. I’m from even more central Australia, north of here, so I’m as much a guest as anyone. I feel very honoured to be here. It’s very humbling.” | “It’s obviously really important to these people, this is their country, this is their spirit. I’m from even more central Australia, north of here, so I’m as much a guest as anyone. I feel very honoured to be here. It’s very humbling.” |
| Commemorations for the anniversary continue on Monday in Mutitjulu. | Commemorations for the anniversary continue on Monday in Mutitjulu. |