In Australia, a group of young men were criticized after they were seen on top of a supposedly sacred rock while hiking in a national park.
The local council of the region where the men were spotted said that White Rock was a women’s area that belonged to the Yagara tribe.
The area where the men were spotted is known as Nugum/Boogun, which is a sandstone formation that’s accessible only through a 1.5 kilometer trail.
It’s registered as a cultural heritage site. However, it’s prohibited to climb the rock.
The three men, who were all shirtless, were seen chatting with each other while atop White Rock on Saturday.
A local posted a video of the men on Facebook, labeling them as disrespectful and ignorant.
They reportedly ignored the signs that asked them to stop climbing the rock. According to the City of Ipswich’s website, the region where the men were spotted is regarded as a sacred site for the local residents.
This region features various cultural landscapes, such as the caves and the outcrops.
These sites are important to the local residents as they allow them to pass on their cultural knowledge.
The footage caused a debate in a Facebook group for the Redbank Plains.
According to the Daily Mail, the traditional owners had requested the men to stop climbing the rock.
The locals called it a place of “women’s business” and accused the men of trespassing.
One person noted that the area where the men were spotted was where Indigenous women used to give birth.
Others said that they should be allowed to ascend the rock due to its nature.
While it is forbidden to climb the rock, some people said that it is not harmful if the individuals refrain from leaving litter and defacing the site.
Another person stated that the rock is part of the region’s natural landscape and should be accessible to everyone.
The people who live in the region have been climbing the area known as White Rock for a long time.
One individual said that they have been doing it since the 1800s.