The Sacred Peaks of The Bucketts: A Guringay Cultural Journey, NSW

Discover The Bucketts, a prominent landmark near Gloucester with deep Aboriginal significance for the Guringay people. Derived from the Kattang word "Buccan Buccan," meaning "lots of rock," these peaks were central to ancient initiation ceremonies.

Young Guringay boys, embarking on their journey to manhood, would receive a stone and race to the first peak, Toocal Buccan (big rock north), to touch a sacred rock. A second, more sacred stone was then given for the ascent to Weela Buccan (the smaller southern rock), and finally, to Mograni, before returning. These stones were vital to the transformation into tribal manhood.

After initiation, men carried a sacred stone in a possum-string bag, believed to ward off evil and sickness. The Buccan remains a sacred and taboo site for Aboriginal women, with severe penalties for trespass. It's also where the revered Malookut buried his king stone, boomerangs, spears, and shield, preserving their heritage from colonial influence.

Contrary to local lore about a "bucking horse," "Buccan Buccan" predates the arrival of horses. This narrative, documented by Guringay Bob Syron and Luke Russell, highlights the enduring cultural importance of The Bucketts amidst the fading tribal life and the transition to a new way of living.