DESERT BLOODWOOD IS MY NAME
I was born at this sacred rock. The early humans here call this special place Uluru. They call me Muur-muurpa. I have much in common with these early humans. Both our bloods flow in shades of deep red. Much like children, we both stand shoulder to shoulder at Uluru’s breast and feed on her rich morning dews. For both of us, Uluru is our world, the center of our cosmos. Uluru is the inner primordial sphere from which all other circles of this universe originate.
At midday on this arid piece of earth, the sun and the earth seem to come much closer to each other.
Like lovers in a passionate embrace, their fires ignite, making them oblivious to the burn and pain inflicted on others. Yes, the early humans and I share the same hardships. The paucity of water and the force of the relentless sun have welded us together in a mutual quest for survival. We both share an understanding that is rooted deep in this red earth. We both endure, even in these recent years when so much has changed.
Modern beings here call me—and my kin—Bloodwoods. If I am injured, my lifeblood flows out, forming a sticky red drop of resin: my “blood.” The natives here collect these dark tears of mine. They grind them and apply a medicinal mix of my sap, leaves, and earth to their own bodies to heal their wounds. Thus, a hurt inflicted on my body heals a hurt on the bodies of my human brothers and sisters. Should a being pass away, the dust of its demise feeds my roots. And once again, all that departs returns to its origin in the eternal carousel of life.
Home:
Australia, Northern Territory, Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock)
Tree species:
Corymbia terminalis
Tree family:
Myrtaceae, myrtle
Common Names:
Muur-muurpa, Desert Bloodwood
Motivation:
We rose at 4:00 in the morning to be at Uluru for sunrise. Our four-hour journey started as a walk in the cool, dark air. We gradually circled the base of this mountainous rock, mesmerized by the spirit of this unique place. The sun started to beam horizontally, illuminating Uluru in vibrant early light. To me, life seemed to be originating from everywhere and everything—above all, from the red rock of Uluru itself.