Cultural Burning at Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park

Fact Sheet Cultural burning at Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park

Images: Parks Australia

Anangu and fire management and how to survive in the desert, Working Together Anangu, the traditional owners as well as rules for appropriate The traditional lands of Anangu of Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National behaviour. Knowledge cover a huge area that stretches Park, have lived on and gained about traditional fire beyond Uluṟu‑Kata Tjuṯa National managed this country for management is contained Park. As fires can travel a long more than 30,000 years. in Tjukurpa, taught through distance, it’s important that generations from grandparents, everyone works together to Anangu use fire for many and passed down, and is learnt manage and protect Anangu different purposes. It is a way by being out on country. country. of looking after country. To do this, a big meeting is Cool winter fires are lit to Caring for country held each year with traditional manage the grass by reducing Burning parts of the country, owners, ranger groups and land the chance of big summer fires both large and small, is the most managers from the Northern that may burn out of control. It is effective way of controlling the Territory, Western Australia and also used to rejuvenate patches spinifex grasslands of central South Australia. This is known as of old growth country, encourage Australia. the Tri-State Waṟu (fire) Meeting. fresh growth which would supply By using patch burning as a land food for Anangu and wildlife, management tool, Anangu create Anangu and Uluṟu‑Kata Tjuṯa and to protect areas of cultural a mixture of habitat that provides National Park staff attend the significance, living areas, and food and shelter for the animals. Tri-State Waṟu meeting with areas with vegetation that don’t representatives from the like fire. Controlled burns also reduce the Kaṯiṯi‑Petermann Indigenous chance of wildfires burning out of Protected Area, Mutitjulu Tjukurpa control during the hot months. Community Rangers, Tjakuṟa Tjukurpa (pronounced ‘chook-orr- The key to using fire as a land Rangers, Kaltukatjara rangers pa’) is the foundation of Anangu management method is to and the Central Land Council. culture. Tjukurpa stories talk know the country and burn at During this meeting, the groups about the beginning of time when the right time of year. A cool plan winter burns to create ancestral beings first created fire on a winter’s day will burn healthy country and reduce the the world. These stories contain slowly through the grass and be risk of summer wildfires. important lessons about the land extinguished in the evening when the temperatures drop. Before any prescribed burn, a run the fire program that keeps When it rains, nyaṟu produces look around is conducted, which Uluṟu‑Kata Tjuṯa National Park many seeds like wangunu (naked is called nyanganyi. During a healthy and keeps culture strong. woollybutt), wakati (pigweed) and nyanganyi, Anangu and park kalpaṟi (rats tailed grass). Anangu rangers travel to burn sites Nyaṟu (recently burnt areas) grind these seeds to make latja and look around the country. Burning country is also used for (paste) or nyuma (seed cakes). Traditional owners look for traditional hunting. Pila (spinifex It is also a good place to look for many things including sacred or plains) and tali (sand dunes) kampurarpa (desert raisin). sensitive areas, important trees become nyaṟu after they are and endangered animal tracks to burnt. Many animals like recently Other uses for fire help plan and protect these areas. burnt areas because food plants Over thousands of years, are plentiful, such as kampurarpa fire has also been used for A nyanganyi is a chance to (desert raisin), edible seed, signalling from one group to get back onto country and for grasses, and succulents. Animals another. If one family was inter-generational knowledge such as kalaya (emu), malu wanting to travel across another transfer. Anangu children and (red kangaroo), and other kuka family’s homelands, they would grandchildren are encouraged to (animal meat) prefer these areas start small fires as they were join in so they can learn from the for foraging, while others such as approaching the borders of the elders. This knowledge transfer tjantjalka (military dragon) move homelands, so that the other is very important and prepares away until the spinifex cover family would be able to see that the next generation of Anangu to comes back. they were approaching. Fire is still used today for signalling.

When does patch burning take place at Uluṟu? Anangu This typically takes place between April and August each year. and fire Who is responsible for cultural burning? Anangu traditional owners, Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park rangers, Muṯitjulu Community rangers, and Central Land Council ranger groups work together to manage cultural burning.

Why is patch burning effective at Uluṟu, and what benefits does it have to other fire management strategies? Patch burning is the most effective way of controlling the spinifex grasslands of central Australia.

Images: Parks Australia