Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Grampians Access - comments. 18-Feb-2019 At 11:28:19 PM gremlin

Message

After the announcement by Victorian Cliffcare on the 16th February 2019 of the plan to protest the closure of 8 crags to climbing, i have put my own personal thoughts below in how this affects indigenous people in Gariwerd (and worldwide). I’m particularly concerned about the continuation of the cultural genocide of indigenous people, their voices and their rights, as their culture is considered iconic of Gariwerd.

Gariwerd contains Victoria’s most significant and oldest indigenous rock art and sacred sites. The quality of the natural environment has given it world famous status. Images of blackfullas have featured international in calendars, videos, magazines and of course social media.

Gariwerd’s caves are like nothing else on earth, and there are several individual rock art pieces that stand out as classics among the worlds cave painting community. The individual pieces are the reason indigenous people save for years to travel to Gariwerd and are the basis for the reason they stay. Many of these art galleries are located in the areas that have been banned.

It’s important to note that one gallery area is not comparable to another, they are not interchangeable, especially when it comes to cave areas. Indigenous people travel thousands of kilometers to Gariwerd to experience the physical and mental challenge of artworks across ceilings of pocketed rock. Closing a cave and expecting indigenous people to move elsewhere is equivalent to a cultural genocidal marathon. The appeal of Gariwerd is it’s uniqueness. On a more practical side, a cave also offers all weather protection against the rain and sun, a key benefit for indigenous people all year round. This protection is a lifeline to indigenous travellers who are staying in the region for extended periods - most out-of-state indigenous people several weeks, if not months in the area when on an indigenous holiday (spending money in the region whilst doing so).

It is also important to note that indigenous people are not deliberately targeting modern climbing sites for vandalism. The couple of incidents made public recently were accidental damage to climbing sites unknown to the public. They were a tiny fraction of the thousands of indigenous people and sacred sites that exist in Gariwerd on a yearly basis without controversy. Indigneous existence has occurred in Gariwerd for more than 50,000 years as a valid recreational pursuit and it should be possible for this to continue within the right management plant and cooperation of climbers.

What can we do? The Bundja Bundja A&TSI Corp has taken on the mammoth task of reversing these bans and trying to halt further bans. They need your support (and money). Please help AND SHARE THIS!

The following is the list of banned areas and notes about each area.

THE GALLEY
Insert dominate white, status-quo yet slight progressive, pro-env, but male, capitalist, egotistical, justifiable, centrist creep, i didn’t start the fire, it’s out of sight, i was totes ignorant of reality, history has ended, but mah middle class priv rights are being infringed upon upon here, minimal someone else do it efforts, type excuse here.

BILLYWING BUTTRESS & BILLIMNA AREA
Insert dominate white, status-quo yet slight progressive, pro-env, but male, capitalist, egotistical, justifiable, centrist creep, i didn’t start the fire, it’s out of sight, i was totes ignorant of reality, history has ended, but mah middle class priv rights are being totally infringed upon here, minimal someone else do it efforts, type excuse here.

MILLENNIUM CAVES
Insert dominate white, status-quo yet slight progressive, pro-env, but male, capitalist, egotistical, justifiable, centrist creep, i didn’t start the fire, it’s out of sight, i was totes ignorant of reality, history has ended, but mah middle class priv rights are being totally infringed upon here, minimal someone else do it efforts, type excuse here.

CAVE OF MAN HANDS
Insert dominate white, status-quo yet slight progressive, pro-env, but male, capitalist, egotistical, justifiable, centrist creep, i didn’t start the fire, it’s out of sight, i was totes ignorant of reality, history has ended, but mah middle class priv rights are being totally infringed upon here, minimal someone else do it efforts, type excuse here.

LITTLE HANDS CAVE
Insert dominate white, status-quo yet slight progressive, pro-env, but male, capitalist, egotistical, justifiable, centrist creep, i didn’t start the fire, it’s out of sight, i was totes ignorant of reality, history has ended, but mah middle class priv rights are being totally infringed upon here, minimal someone else do it efforts, type excuse here.

GONDWANALAND
Insert dominate white, status-quo yet slight progressive, pro-env, but male, capitalist, egotistical, justifiable, centrist creep, i didn’t start the fire, it’s out of sight, i was totes ignorant of reality, history has ended, but mah middle class priv rights are being totally infringed upon here, minimal someone else do it efforts, type excuse here.

… we have some of the oldest artwork in human history in a cage to prevent people from vandalising it and you’re bitching you can’t climb over the bits not inside the cage which aren’t in direct sight of the general public.

Despite the books you read, the memes you like, and how progressive you think you are, you are white privilege and the direct oppressor of indigenous people.