Cultural Centre
Cultural centre open hours
Cultural Centre
Open 7.00 am - 6.00 pm daily
Information Desk
Open 8.00 am - 12 noon and 1.00 pm - 5.00 pm daily
Entry is free
Ininti cafe and souvenirs | Maruku arts | Walkatjara arts | Anangu tours | The building | Cultural centre park note
The Cultural Centre is a good starting point for visitors to the park as it offers information about activities and park info as well as an introduction into Anangu culture. Because of the deep spiritual nature of the area and what is contained within the Cultural Centre, visitors are asked not to photograph or video inside the building or precinct. This is to respect the wishes of the traditional owners, and protect Anangu's cultural and intellectual property.
Kanyangatja mulapa wali nganampa - Anangu marutju takum, Anangu uwankaraku
This building truly represents us Anangu people, it is for all people to visit.
Ininti cafe and souvenirs
Ininti Cafe and souvenirs provides a wide selection of souvenir gifts, books, videos and clothing that feature Uluru and the cultural heritage of its traditional owners. Ininti Cafe has a comfortable air conditioned area for visitors to sit down and enjoy light refreshments whilst enjoying a magnificent view of Uluru.
Opening daily: 7:00 am - 5:15 pm | Phone (+61) 8 8956 2214 | Fax (+61) 8 8956 2437
Maruku arts
Maruku brings together the work of hundreds of artists from their homelands and communities in the western desert. Traditionally crafted tools and exciting new art forms (animal carvings, paintings, jewellery, woven grass baskets), express the ongoing and vital strength of Anangu culture. Share in this at their award winning shop - watch crafts people at work and purchase a unique piece of punu (woodwork).
Open daily: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm | Ph: (+61) 8 8956 2558 | Fax: (+61) 8 8956 2410 | maruku.com.au
Walkatjara art centre
The Walkatjara art centre is owned and operated by the local Aboriginal artists from the Mutitjulu Community. The Gallery Shop sells unique ceramic art, paintings and functional craft works from local Anangu artists. They also sell art from the Desart member art centres, located throughout Central Australia. The local Walkatjara Artists hand paint designs based on the Tjukurpa and on the landscape. These images tell the stories relating to Anangu culture and heritage. Most weekdays the Walkatjara Artists come to paint and work in the Art Room, adjacent to the Gallery Shop. Artists receive a percentage of sales.
Open daily: 9:00 am - 5:30 pm | Phone (+61) 8 89562537 | Fax (+61) 8 8956 2410 | desart.com.au
Anangu tours
Anangu tours is a company offering small, exclusive group tours, hosted by local Aboriginal guides. They offer a unique insight into Anangu history, knowledge, lifestyle and the Tjukurpa of Uluru. Reservations and inquiries can be made at the Anangu Tours Desk in the Resort Tourist Information Centre, or contact them directly. Brochures are available at the National Park Information Desk in the Cultural Centre.
Phone: (+61) 8 8956 2123 or (+61) 8 8950 3030 | Fax: (+61) 8 8956 3136 | ananguwaai.com.au | email: reservations@ananguwaai.com.au
The Cultural Centre building
The need for a cultural centre was identified in the park's first plan of management in 1986. The plan recommended that a cultural centre be established for the following purposes:
- presentation of interpretive material relating to traditional culture, traditional song and dance
- display and sale of contemporary Aboriginal art and crafts
- display of historical contact and park history, and
- the conduct of other appropriate Anangu controlled cultural and commercial activities.
The design process
In September 1990 Gregory Burgess Architects Pty Ltd were commissioned to produce a design
brief. The architects set up a work studio in the Mutitjulu Community where Anangu and other
interested parties could comment on the requirements of the proposed building. Anangu made
sure that everyone involved in the process learned about Tjukurpa. The final concept was based on the Tjukurpa ancestors Kuniya (the woma python - southern building) and Liru (the poisonous snake - northern building). Traditional owners,
Mutitjulu community members and design consultants worked together on the texts and concepts. Artists from Mutitjulu community worked on paintings, ceramics, glass, wood, video and audio-visual displays. The site was chosen with consideration of environmental impact, the aesthetics of the surrounding area and the wishes of Anangu.
There is a set route through the centre to provide a variety of experiences. By entering through the Tjukurpa Tunnel visitors learn about the traditional and ancient culture of the area. Joint managment and othertopics of interest within the national park are presented in the Nintiringkupai Room (information desk). The aspirations of Anangu are presented in owned and operated businesses including Maruku Arts, Anangu Tours, Walkatjara Art and Ininti Cafe and Souvenirs.
Cultural Centre logo
The logo for the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre represents four major Tjukurpa stories associated with Uluru. Kuniya, Liru, Kurpany and Mala are all ancestral beings who help form the basis of traditional Law and custom for Anangu today. They connect Anangu with country in all directions around Uluru. Kuniya came from the east near Erldunda and is still present at Uluru. Liru came from the southwest and returned to that country after the battle with Kuniya's nephew. The Mala people arrived for ceremonies from Mawulyarungu to the north near Yuendumu. Kurpany was sent in from the west near Kaltukatjara (Docker River) and chased the Mala people through Uluru itself and then into South Australia.