Editing Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve (section)

==Aboriginal significance==
Karlu Karlu are culturally and spiritually significant objects of the local Aboriginal people. Most of the conservation reserve is a Registered Sacred Site, protected under the ''[[Northern Territory Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act 1989]]''. Although Karlu Karlu is within country originally belonging to the [[Alyawarre]] people, all of the other local Aboriginal groups, which include the [[Kaytetye people|Kaytetye]], [[Warumungu people|Warumungu]] and [[Warlpiri people|Warlpiri]] people, also have spiritual connections and responsibilities for the area.<ref name="DM_JMP_Intro" />

Accounts of local Aboriginal people believing the boulders to be eggs of the mythical Rainbow Serpent are incorrect.<ref name="DM_JMP_Visitors" /> In reality, a number of traditional [[Dreaming (spirituality)|Dreaming]] stories (none of which are about serpents) have Karlu Karlu as their setting, hence its great importance as a sacred site. These stories are alive and well and are passed on from generation to generation of [[traditional owners]]. Only a handful of stories are considered suitable to tell to uninitiated visitors.

One of the main [[Dreamtime|Dreaming]] stories for the area which can be told to the public relates to how Karlu Karlu was created. This tradition tells of ''[[Arrange]]'', the Devil Man, who came from a hill nearby and travelled through the area. Whilst walking along, Arrange made a hair-string belt which is a kind of traditional adornment worn only by initiated men. As he was twirling the hair to make strings, he dropped clusters of hair on the ground.

The clusters turned into the big red boulders at Karlu Karlu that have become so famous today. On his way back to his hill, Arrange spat on the ground. His spit turned into the granite boulders in the central part of the reserve. Arrange finally returned to his place of origin, a hill called ''[[Ayleparrarntenhe]]'' where he remains today.<ref name="DM_JMP_Intro" />