Selasa, 22 April 2014

Royal visit: Prince William and Kate witness iconic Uluru sunset (ABC)

Prince William and Catherine have taken in an iconic sunset at Uluru Kata-Tjutu National Park to end their tour of the Red Centre.

The Royals took part in a guided walk around Uluru having been given a welcome to country, including a traditional Indigenous dance performance, at the National Park's cultural centre.

Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, climbed Uluru in 1983 during their tour of Central Australia.

Prince William did not follow in his parents' footsteps, but rather took a guided tour around the rock with the Duchess of Cambridge and two locals.

Traditional land owner Daisy Walkabout, who welcomed William's parents three decades ago, was a part of the welcoming this afternoon.

"We're happy to meet them, like we were happy to meet (Charles and Diana) in the past," she said.

"They've travelled a lot and now they will come to see this country, and it will be good to know they have seen Uluru, which is so hugely significant not just for a small group of people but a whole range of people that are related and connected to this place."

The couple, who took part in today's leg of the Royal visit without Prince George, earlier attended a reception hosted by Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles.

The Royals then presented employment certificates to young Indigenous people at the National Indigenous Training Academy.

The couple tonight camp in luxury before departing for Adelaide tomorrow.

Before the tour, Anangu man Sammy Wilson - one of the Royals' guides - said he wanted to teach William and Catherine about the importance of the rock to traditional owners.

"When you're visiting some sort of place, visit Uluru and we can tell the story about Uluru," he said.

Interpreter John Sweeney says walking around the rock with a local is the best way for visitors to appreciate the site.

He says the international media will likely miss the real beauty of Uluru.

"It's not so much that they miss the point," he said. "They get the nice images and the shots.

"But sometimes to really appreciate Uluru and understand it, you need to really put the camera down, forget about looking through the lens and just go for a walk with Anangu, and listen and feel, and that way you really do get the best experience."

More than 100 local and international media personnel packed into the national park for the visit.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were also expected to get the rare sight of water cascading off Uluru.

Heavy rain in recent weeks has seen waterfalls spring to life on the surface of the rock and huge pools gather at its base, a sight witnessed by only about 1 per cent of visitors.

Royals receive jewellery and dot paintings

Indigenous leaders welcomed the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with gifts including a series of dot paintings on paper made of wallaby droppings.

The Duchess was presented with several gifts,including a necklace and earrings made by local artist Joanne Cooley and a more modern piece by Anangu artist Kathy Buzzacott.

The Duke was given a handmade, fire-carved wooden shield made by local craftsman Billy Cooley, as well as a spear.

The couple were also presented with gumnut bracelets and a camel-hair beanie for Prince George, as well as a series of dot paintings by Anangu woman Barbara Tjikatu and her family.

The paintings tell the story of the local people and the importance of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people working together.

The paintings are on paper made of droppings from the Mala, the local protected rufous hare-wallaby.

ABC/wires*
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/22828094/royal-visit-prince-william-and-kate-witness-iconic-uluru-sunset/

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