Juukan Gorge facts for kids
Juukan Gorge is a special place in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It's about 60 kilometers from a town called Tom Price. The gorge was named by the daughter of a Puutu Kunti Kurrama man named Juukan.
This gorge was famous for a cave that showed people had lived there for more than 46,000 years! This included times like the last Ice Age. Sadly, a mining company called Rio Tinto destroyed this important cave in May 2020. This happened even though the traditional owners, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) peoples, considered it a sacred site. The company had permission to expand their mine from 2013, under Western Australian laws.
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Why Juukan Gorge Was So Important
Scientists knew Juukan Gorge was important since 2009. They found two rock shelters where Aboriginal people had lived for at least 32,000 years. They stayed there even during the last Ice Age.
In 2013, Rio Tinto got permission to mine the area to expand their iron ore operations. But a year later, in 2014, new discoveries were made. An archaeological dig found that the site was much older, about 46,000 years old! It was full of amazing artefacts. These included animal bones that showed how local animals changed over time, grindstones, and other sacred objects.
One very special find was a piece of plaited human hair, about 4,000 years old. It was made from strands of hair from different people. DNA testing showed this hair belonged to the direct ancestors of the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (PKKP) people who are alive today.
The PKKP heritage manager, Heather Builth, told Rio Tinto that this site was one of the "top five" most important in the whole Pilbara region. An archaeologist named Michael Slack also told them that one of the shelters, Juukan 2, was "the highest archaeological significance in Australia." He said its importance "could not be overstated." It was the only site of its age with animal remains clearly found with stone tools.
The Cave's Destruction
Despite its huge importance, the cave was destroyed on May 24, 2020. Rio Tinto blasted it as part of expanding their Brockman 4 mine. The PKKP people had repeatedly asked to save the site. They even sent an urgent request to stop the blasts just five days before.
However, the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA) law did not allow mining permission to be changed based on new information. So, the blasting was legal under a special part of the Act. The Western Australian Aboriginal Affairs Minister, Ben Wyatt, started reviewing this law in August 2020.
Government Inquiry into the Destruction
Because of the destruction, the Australian government started an investigation. It was called the "Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000-year-old caves at the Juukan Gorge." A special committee began looking into it on June 11, 2020.
Rio Tinto spoke to the inquiry in August. They admitted they did not tell the traditional owners about other choices besides blasting the site. Senior leaders at Rio Tinto only learned how important the site was just three days before it was destroyed.
The inquiry members included:
- Senator Anthony Chisholm
- Senator Patrick Dodson
- Senator Rachel Siewert
- Senator Matthew Canavan
- Senator Dean Smith
- Anika Wells MP
- George Christensen MP
- Phillip Thompson MP
- Warren Snowdon MP
What the Inquiry Found
The committee received 160 submissions, which are like written statements, from different people and groups. Tanya Butler, who was in charge of Aboriginal heritage sites in WA, was questioned. She said that the committee responsible for assessing sites did not know the full importance of Juukan Gorge in 2013 when they gave permission.
One submission showed that Rio Tinto had permission to damage the site in 2013 to expand their iron ore mining. The PKKP people had not objected to this permission at that time, even though they had helped with earlier archaeological work in 2009.
Interim Report: "Never Again"
On December 9, 2020, the inquiry released an early report called Never Again. This report showed how much more power mining companies have compared to Indigenous peoples when it comes to protecting heritage. It also highlighted serious problems with the laws meant to protect Indigenous heritage.
The report made seven suggestions. These included stopping mining in the area for a while and fixing the damaged site. It also suggested that the traditional owners should be paid for what they lost. The report called the destruction of the caves "inexcusable." It also asked mining companies to voluntarily stop using existing permissions if new important information comes up.
The report also suggested that the Western Australian Government should change its heritage laws. It also recommended that the federal government review its own law, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984.
After the report came out, Senator Pat Dodson said, "The destruction of these ancient sites was a disaster for our nation and the world." The inquiry continued to look into why the laws failed, as Rio Tinto's actions were technically legal. The full report was expected in 2021.
