“Let there be light!” That was the cry of Ikuntji Elder Kieran Malta at 8.05pm on Good Friday 2023 in remote Central Australia – moments later a cheer went up as the Forgiveness Cross on Memory Mountain was illuminated for all to see. People from across Australia joined with local Indigenous people to dedicate this giant steel structure which stands tall at the very centre of the nation. The significance of the event attracted the attention of both the Northern Territory (NT) Chief Minister Natasha Fyles and NT Attorney-General Chansey Paech who were both in attendance at the remote event, along with TV journalist Ray Martin who has been a long-time advocate for the project. Ikuntji Elder Douglas Malta gave a very simple welcome to country to those assembled. “Welcome to my country” he said, in both English and Ikuntji language “it is good that you come here”.
NT Chief Minister Fyles also addressed the crowd, describing the event as very symbolic. “Often the Northern Territory and Indigenous people are put in the national spotlight, but not in a positive way. What is wonderful about this weekend is that this is local decision making, the community coming together in achieving this, and we need to recognise and support that” she said. “I want to congratulate you and celebrate this very historic moment”. One of the main advocates for the project has been world-renowned photographer Ken Duncan, who began helping the local people achieve their dream to see a giant cross on Memory Mountain over 12 years ago. Ken recalled that first meeting; “when they first asked me if I could help them put up a cross, it was at this place right here” Ken said. “a lot of people had come to me, the kids first, saying they see a cross on top of the mountain and it’s going to be like a ladder on the top where angels come up and down”.
The first person that spoke to Ken about the idea was past Elder Nebo Jugadai who told Ken that they wanted to build something where everyone was welcome to come – a mountain of prayer and of hope. “He (Nebo) said that we want people to know that our nation and our place is covered by Jesus”. The project turned out to be much larger than Ken anticipated. “I must admit I thought we could come up there with a couple of four by two’s and a couple of bags of cement” he said. What transpired is far from thrown-together, almost $2 million has been raised and spend on erecting the 20m high and 2m x 2m wide steel structure whose foundations go 6m down into the rocky mountaintop. Despite a few hiccups, dust and flies, the Sunday live streamed morning service went well with Steve Grace and Phil Edwards CEO of Vision Radio sharing Communion from the dead centre of Australia, and Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead.
Source: Vision Christian Media
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