Aboriginal heritage sites of major significance have been destroyed in WA’s Pilbara, with a mining company having obtained legal permission to blast the sites before the sites’ full riches were uncovered.
Archaeologist Michael Slack found grinding and pounding stones and a 28,000-year-old tool made from bone, each one of the oldest examples of these technologies known in Australia; and a piece of a 4000-year-old plaited hair belt whose DNA has been linked to that of today’s Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura traditional owners.
“Our people are deeply troubled and saddened ... grieving the loss of connection to our ancestors as well as our land,” said Puutu Kunti Kurrama land committee chairman John Ashburton.He said there were less than a handful of known Aboriginal sites in Australia as old as this; studies had shown it was one of the earliest occupied locations not only on the western Hamersley Plateau, but also in the Pilbara and nationally.
A Rio Tinto spokesman said the company worked with traditional owners to avoid heritage sites wherever possible.
Bad Form Rio Tinto, Bad Form.
Peter_Fitz
theprojecttv vanOnselenP hamishNews
So sad no words
What a disgrace and under a Labor state government, mind you.
I am appalled and grief stricken about this action. What a terrible loss to humanity as a whole. How absolutely devastating for the traditional owners. How could this have happened!!!
Tragic 😢
WHAT?! WHY?!?!
FFS..... as soon as an area becomes potentially rich, suddenly it's an Aboriginal 'heritage' site.... give me a fucking break!
Grubby rio stinko well known for destruction of heritage sites around the world.
Absolutely tragic.
this wouldn't happen in a white part of the world
Unbelievable! Think about blasting up old ancient sites like the Lascaux Cave or the Chauvet Cave in France. Unthinkable. When we don't know where we came from, we don't know where to go...
A mining company called Rio Tinto, who do know the expectations when it comes to social licence, and chose to break them just prior to Sorry day. How very disgusting. RioTinto
What's the problem? Selling out our culture and heritage for cash from China is what we do.
Liberals gave permission
Diane_Dee BIG HEADS, as in RioTinto heads, must roll over this woeful desecration of Aboriginal heritage sites in WesternAustralia's Pilbara region MarkMcGowanMP, theprojecttv, WAtoday, westaustralian, leighsales, latikambourke, thelizhayes, Diane_Dee, troycassardaley & QandA
Profit before culture. The empire is a shameful and animalistic, greedy beast.
An international travisty! Speechless over this one. Happy bloody Sorry Day! 46 000 yrs of history! This is a crime against humanity. Would they dig up Lascau Cave in France (the one with the stunning horse paintings, only 20 000 yrs old)? auspol SorryDay2020 billshortenmp
Aboriginals weren't here first , they were invaders
So after a billion yrs of claiming to be here the aboriginals don't know what's there, Or did they allow proof of the others to be destroyed
That's like letting a mining company blast the pyramids and saying 'oh we didn't realise there were more'
Disgraceful
Oh! This is a veritable crime!
Wickedness. The worst part of the story is Rio Tinto insisting that they should be allowed to proceed with permits issued under this legislation so they destroy anything that remains.
ThisIsAustralia
Revolting.
Awful.
Shame
But they did it knowing full well what was there. HumanRightsViolations
to those that say the elders agree with it!!! maybe the tsmh is full of shit
The taliban blew up Bhamiyan Buddhas for their gain... what’s the difference?
That's heartbreaking. The people of that land will be shattered. What a horrible nation we have become. Just awful.
Forty thousand years of history, literally up in smoke ( or rust to be correct ).
Wanting to avoid this 👇
If anyone has paid to read the article, can you tell me which part of the Pilbara this is in?
Typical politics dollar speeks
Fact_Oracle Is that why the pilbara is still closed MarkMcGowanMP ?
Why is this allowed to happen?
Fact_Oracle TWIGGY FORREST IS THE CULPRIT AND MARK MCGOWAN BETTER HAVE AN EXCUSE OF BEING ON LIFE SUPPORT TO EXPLAIN THIS!!!!
Haven't read the article yet but if you want to invoke some kind of guilt rage from me its not going to happen. The elders been knew. This is their business their land they agreed to this. I just hope WA is looking after our og fam with health services & employment. 😬
Disgusting
Crimminal damage.
Total disregard for history and culture. So typical money over community
That's how we roll in Australia.
This is a despicable act, perpetrated by a despicable government. The company & government should be jailed for the destruction of such an ancient & culturally important site. AuspolSoCorrupt
What!! The!! Heck!!
Comments seem to be based on the headline. Unless I’ve missed something, they did a good job preserving artefacts. No different Egypt and some of those other ancient sites
Well done Australia 👏🏻 Let’s destroy our cultural relics to get to some minerals. Summarises the history of white civilisation in this country!
A complete outrage. Some moronic Liberal /IPA minister gave the go ahead to blow up a site of considerable archaeological significance. And that is only the beginning. Then there is the fact that they blew up a sacred site of deep significance to the local people. Fucking awful.
😡🤬Absolute disgrace. Avarice taken to the next level.
Mining money swears.
I am very sad for the First Nation’s people. Destruction of such an old and valuable site is tragic.
FFS
Is there any place in Australia that is not Aboriginal heritage sites?
Very disappointing if this is true
Yeah this is the whole point of native title, so Rio Tinto only have to deal with the Aborigines to mine everything and contrary to popular belief the Aborigines just let them do it for a bit of cash.
Sad we don't fully understand indigenous culture, yet before we can study and understand we blow it up and ship.
Why are you lot making FAKE NEWS CLICK BAIT in order to USE THE SUFFERING OF ABORIGINALS to PUSH YOUR OWN PERSONAL POLITICAL AGENDA?!
Appalling.
libliars Why is our Government so disrespectful....how can they be respected.
Heartbreaking. Like blowing up Stonehenge
FAKENEWS There is no concern -FAKE NEWS story... They literally spent 10 years doing archaeology etc and MAKING SURE they didn't miss and Significant Aboriginal Artifacts etc... They spent Millions and waited 10 years... JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY DIDN'T IMPACT ABORIGINAL SITES.
The sheer lack of empathy I see in people’s comments is just appalling
lol 46000 years ago? yeah, dreamtime is alive and well
Two sticks and rock jobs
Heartbreaking
You's love spreading FAKE NEWS in order to stir Racial Hostility and Bigotry hey?... The article says Rio Tinto got PERMISSION from the Elders to do it... CUT THE BS...
The Greens have a great idea for this situation, it involves putting a Solar Farm over the top of these sites .
corporate social responsibility
Looks like a pile of dirt to me. Get it out of the ground boys.
We need to stop operating as a parallel society. One nation, one laws, and heritage is all ours
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