Pilgrimage at contested sites

Pilgrimage, whether traditional and religious or modern and secular, is experiencing a resurgence around the world. Increasing indications suggest that there is contest for access and use of sacred sites. This contest sometimes involves traditional owners who likewise hold these sites sacred, with their managers and commercial operators also drawn into this conflict as the case study on Uluru (Aye's Rock) illustrates. The comparatively recent no-climbing please campaign, coupled with the fact that some modern secular pilgrims are illegally entering sacred sites, presents many dilemmas for Park managers and the traditional owners, the latter reaping significant financial rewards from the half a million tourists who come to Uluru annually.