Tag: Northern Territory

Woman Filmed Dancing Topless on Uluru Causes Outrage in Australia

Dancing semi-naked on top of Australia’s most famous ancient site isn’t the best way to ingratiate yourself with the locals, as a 25-year-old ‘exotic dancer’ has found out.

French-born Alizee Sery had a friend film her climbing Uluru, stripping off and dancing in bikini bottoms, cowboy boots and a bushman’s hat. The video, which appeared on a Northern Territory news site, has sparked outrage among Australia’s indigenous leaders, who have likened Sery’s actions to someone “defacating on the steps of the Vatican”.

Sery was unapologetic, claiming that her performance was a “tribute” to the traditional owners. “My project is a tribute to the greatness of the Rock. What we need to remember is that traditionally, the Aboriginal people were living naked,” Sery told the Sunday Territorian newspaper, which broke the story. “So stripping down was a return to what it was like. I do not mean in any way for this video to offend the Aboriginal culture. I am aware that Uluru is sacred in their culture.”

Alizee Sery’s ‘sacred dance’ on top of the Uluru

Climbing Uluru was “one of those things that we must experience in a lifetime”, Sery said. “I thought that if I’m only going to climb the Rock once in my entire life, when I reach the top I must do something out of the ordinary, something catchy, something crazy,” she said. “I want to give people the courage to believe in themselves. If I can do a strip on Ayer’s Rock, then anything is possible.”

But Alison Hunt, a member of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Board of Management, was “angry and disgusted”, she said. “It’s not a tribute to the traditional owners, it’s an insult. This is an important spiritual place. We try to share our land and work together and we think it is disgusting for someone to try and make money out of our sacred land.”

The traditional owners of Uluru ask visitors not to climb the rock because ancient Dreamtime spiritual lines cross the site. The owners the local Anangu people also feel a sense of responsibility for the safety of those who undertake the rigorous climb, which continues to claim lives.

The Central Land Council, which represents the traditional owners, has called on the Australian prime minister Julia Gillard to deport the dancer.

That may not be necessary, however, because Sery says she may now set her sights on the Great Wall of China as she “works her way round the world one bra strap at a time”.

Human Ashes at Uluru Could Affect Dating Work

Dating work at Uluru Australias most famous ancient landmark is at risk following the revelation that tourists have been scattering the ashes of dead loved ones at the site.

Mick Starkey, a spokesman for the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park, told ABCNews that human ashes had been discovered at two separate rock art sites over the past month. He said the practice could contaminate the sites and hinder efforts to date and record ancient art.

“Obviously some people (have) been bringing and dropping their ashes off here,” he said, “and it’s going to cause a bit of problem if they put them in our art sites because we won’t be able to do some dating later on in life.

“It’s starting to be a little bit of a problem.”

Controversy at ‘The Rock’

This is the latest in a series of rows involving visitors to Uluru. The future of the controversial tourist climb to the top of

In a separate controversy, a local tour operator complained in September that tourists had been defecating and relieving their bladders upon reaching the summit (there are no toilets at the top…)

the site is under review by the Australian federal government after a draft management plan for the Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park recommended closing the tourist access. Traditional owners have long opposed the climb, saying it disrespects their heritage, but the climb is also said to cause environmental damage and risk the safety of those who attempt to make it to the top 35 tourists have died scaling the landmark in the last 20 years.

Anecdotal reports suggest some tourists have travelled to Uluru in recent months specifically to climb the site before the official path is closed.

There are ongoing efforts to discourage visitors from stamping all over this sacred Aboriginal site. A new viewing platform has just opened to give tourists as elevated view of the Uluru without having to climb it. Commentators say the platform was designed to provide an additional visitors facility for after the climbs inevitable closure.

In a separate controversy, a local tour operator complained in September that tourists had been defecating and relieving their bladders upon reaching the summit (there are no toilets at the top…). It’s a practice that not only disrespects the beliefs of the traditional owners, but also contaminates a sacred pool at the foot of the site.