Tiwi Islands
| Tiwi Islands | ||
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| Waters | Timor Sea | |
| Geographical location | 11 ° 30 ′ S , 130 ° 40 ′ E | |
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| Number of islands | 2 large, 5 small | |
| Main island | Melville Island | |
| Total land area | 8320 km² | |
| Residents | 2670 | |
The Tiwi Islands are located in Australia in the Northern Territory 80 km north of Darwin in the Timor Sea . They consist of Melville Island , Bathurst Island and nine much smaller offshore side islands ( Buchanan , Clift, Harris, Irritutu, Karslake, Matingalia, Nodlaw, Seagull and Turiturina), which together are about 8,320 km².
history
In 1824 the English built a settlement for a short time, which they soon abandoned. In 1900 hunters set up camp on Melville Island from where they hunted the buffalo left by the English. Sustainable contact with other cultures developed in 1911 when a Catholic mission was established in Nguiu on Bathurst Island.
The islands were announced as an Aboriginal reserve in 1912 . In 1980 the land was given to the Tiwi Aboriginal Land Trust . However, the local Tiwi Islands government did not establish itself until July 12, 2001, when the previous three individual administrations ( Nguiu on Bathurst Island , Pirlangimpi and Milikapiti on Melville Island ) merged and formed a jointly coordinated government.
geography
The islands are separated by Apsley Strait , which connects Saint Asaph Bay to the north and Shoal Bay to the south, and which is between 550 meters and 5 kilometers wide and 62 kilometers long. Upstream of Shoal Bay in the south is Buchanan Island, with an area of around 3 km². At the southern tip of Melville Island, only separated by a narrow inlet, is Irrititu Island, about 2 km² in size. About 600 meters west of Bathurst Island is Clift Island, less than an acre. Nine kilometers north of Milipakiti on Melville Island and 900 meters from the main island is Karslake Island, with about 0.5 km². Harris Island is located between the two large islands of Bathurst and Melville, with an area of around 10 hectares.
The archipelago is inhabited by the Tiwis. Although they are also indigenous Australians , both their culture and language are different from that of the Arnhem Land Aborigines on the mainland. There are currently around 2,500 islanders living on both islands, with 93.8% of the population being Aboriginal in 1996. Most speak Tiwi as their mother tongue and English as a second language.
Arts and Culture
- Main article: → Aboriginal tribe of the Tiwi
The art and culture of the islands has eluded the notable influence of other peoples due to their island location and the treacherous strait. Hence, a number of unique art forms emerged, which are described as the art of isolation. The Tiwis' dream time is essentially expressed in two ceremonies, the Kulama initiation and the Pukumani burial ritual.
The pictures that the Tiwis paint are colorful and, since there is great interest in bark painting, they are painted on bark in addition to canvas.
The sculptures that Tiwis make have been famous since the 1930s. They are sculptures of birds and animals. Recently Enraeld Djulabinyanna has been producing human sculptures that thematize the dreamtime story of the Tiwi tribe of Purukuparli and Bima.
football
The Tiwi Islands are known for their cultural offerings and above all for Australian football . The Tiwi Islands Football League Grand Final is an event that takes place in March each year and attracts up to 3,000 visitors. The league has about 900 participants from the communities of the two islands and has the highest participation rate of any place in Australia at 35%.
Famous football players from the Tiwi Islands are Maurice Rioli, Dean Rioli and David Kantilla . Kantilla was the first Aboriginal to play in one of Australia's top football leagues .
Picture gallery
Church in the Tiwi Islands
Native art of the Tiwi Islands
Australian football game in the Tiwi Islands
Individual evidence
- ↑ Tiwi Islands , on tourstog.com. Retrieved July 20, 2017
- ^ Wally Caruana: The art of the Aborigines (German edition). P. 84. Thames & Hudson. London 1999. ISBN 0-500-95051-2
- ↑ Wally Caruna: The Art of the Aborigines . P. 84 f.
- ↑ Wally Caruna: The Art of the Aborigines . P. 88 f.
