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Pilgrimage to Uluru 2010 Over 260 pilgrims travelled to Uluru for its 10th year anniversary of the Pilgrimage to Uluru. A huge weekend of activities, including, connection with local Anangu, Concert, Water ceremony and Dawn service looking out over Uluru.
The weekend was a wonderful celebration of 10 years of running the program in Central Australia. Pilgrims from every state in Australia came to celebrate.
MEDIA RELEASE Wednesday, 7 April 2010Uluru Indigenous prepare a gift of hope for Australian teenagers On Easter Sunday over 250 young people from around the nation were commissioned to begin a Pilgrimage to Uluru. Indigenous young people and elders have been preparing for their arrival.
The annual Pilgrimage to Uluru started in 2001 as a cultural exchange for Australian secondary students under the banner of Schools in Harmony. This year is the 10th year anniversary. Over 3000 young people have taken this unique journey to the nation’s heart.
Schools in Harmony is a network of Government and Non Government schools working together to bring hope. Eight busloads of students began their journeys on Sunday as part of the Easter Sunday Capital city marches, and will arrive Thursday 8th of April in the afternoon for a three day program.
The pilgrims will engage with indigenous communities along the journey and then join together at the Yulara resort where they will engage with the culture and people of the Mutitjulu and Ernabella communities. Mutitjulu has been a place of controversy over the past few years with the former Governments intervention policy, and there is general agreement that there are still significant issues for the community to overcome. Despite this fact, the annual pilgrimage has seen hundreds of young people engage with the community and learn to appreciate the remarkable treasure aboriginal culture is for Australia.
The pilgrimage is also very important for the Mutitjulu community. Members of the community have been preparing a banner for the pilgrim’s arrival. Coordinator of the Uluru Pilgrimage Base camp, Heather Bradbury, says: “As we talked this afternoon (with our Anungu Senior women from Mutitjulu), we talked about the common challenges we face, and the image of a bare tree.. coming to life.. showing that life and joy and growth can come through the hard times. The women have painted a huge banner in preparation for the young people to see when they arrive.
"The banner is a story about hope. “Yes Let us rebuild” lets appreciate what we can learn from each other through the hard times, and the joy that new life can bring.
Thursday 8th April – Pilgrims arrive and place a hand print on a giant banner and are welcomed by local Anungu Thursday 8th April – Evening program in a huge marquee, where pilgrims are given a 10th year anniversary bandana. Friday 9th April – Pilgrims travel to Uluru and participate in a cultural walk (Mala) Friday 9th April – Evening program in huge marquee where pilgrims will get to eat honey ants and share stories from the day. Saturday 10th April – Festival in the center of Yulara, where local indigenous young and old people will enjoy activities, games and crafts together, followed by a celebration concert in the Amphitheatre where local Anungu women and children will perform and take part in a water ceremony. Saturday evening 10th April – All night prayer vigil, under the stars. Where young people reflect on their life so far and what the call to reconciliation means for the future. Sunday 11th April – Dawn Service looking out over Uluru, a time to say good bye and focus on what is next.
“We are very proud of the Pilgrimage to Uluru and the profound affect it has on the young people who make the journey. Often these young people are struggling in the school environment but something happens as they leave the familiar and engage together with the ancient cultures of our indigenous people”. Yulara - Heather Bradbury (0447) 358-006
The base camp is on the web at www.fusion.org.au/schoolsinharmony
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