Tony Tjamiwa facts for kids
Tony Tjamiwa (died 12 May 2001), also known as Tony Curtis, was a highly respected Aboriginal elder. He was also a traditional healer and a great storyteller. Tony Tjamiwa belonged to the Pitjantjatjara people and spoke the Pitjantjatjara language.
Life and Connection to Land
Tony Tjamiwa was a senior traditional owner of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. This means his family had lived on and cared for these lands for a very long time. He played a big part in the long fight to get these important places returned to his people. This return of land is called native title.
He was also a member of the board for the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. This park includes Uluru and Kata Tjuta. His wife was Pulya Taylor, a famous artist and carver.
Tony Tjamiwa believed deeply in the connection between the land and the Tjukurpa. Tjukurpa is the spiritual law and stories of his people. He explained that the Tjukurpa is the same everywhere, both inside and outside the park. He said that there are very important secret and sacred places in the park. Everything is connected by this one Tjukurpa.
He also taught about the strong and powerful Aboriginal Law of his people. He said that important songs and stories are passed down from elders. It is important to protect and support this law. He believed these sacred laws were given to them by their ancestors. They must keep these laws in their minds and hearts.
Tony Tjamiwa had a special way of looking at how people understood Uluru. He once said that tourists take many photos of Uluru. But he felt they were only seeing the outside. He believed that to truly understand Uluru, you needed to see inside it. He meant seeing the spiritual meaning and the ancient stories, like the one about Kuniya (a type of python) living inside the rock since the beginning of time. He felt that this deeper understanding was much more important than just a picture.
