Why is Uluru a sacred place for Aboriginal peoples?

Uluru is considered a sacred place for Aboriginal peoples because it is deeply connected to the Dreaming, the foundational spiritual belief system that explains the creation of the world and the laws governing life.12

For Aboriginal peoples, the landscape is not merely physical; it is a living representation of the reality of creative beings from the mythic past. Many of these beings, after their wanderings, transformed into features of the landscape, such as rocks or hills. Consequently, specific sites like the shallow caves at the base of Uluru are revered as sacred because they contain carvings and paintings that serve as physical links to these spiritual forces and ancestral legacies.21

These sites are central to the social and moral order, providing a connection between humanity, nature, and the spiritual realm. Because these areas are integral to their religious life and identity, the local Aboriginal people have long maintained a deep spiritual stewardship over the monolith, which was formally recognized when ownership was returned to them in 1985.21