Lucy, Rowan , Sam and Tracey had bought us a trip out to the Tiwi Islands as my birthday and Fletchers Fathers Day present. This was planned for Friday morning. I was sure that the ferry left at so we planned to have a taxi collect us from the hotel at 8 and it was only a 5 minute drive to Cullen Bay where the terminal is situated. We went down to the lobby at and the taxi was waiting so we set out. I got out the ticket to check and suddenly read that the departure time was 8am! We arrived at the Terminal about and while Fletcher paid the taxi driver I ran up the steps and along the quay and could see the ferry just pulling out from the dock. Shouting Wait! Wait! I must have looked like a woman possessed but the two deck hands saw and heard me and shouted back, re you going to Tiwi Islands? When I said yes, the boat came back to the dock to pick us up. Whew!!!
his list and then us to his homeland. He then gave us information about the history of the islands and their encounters over the years with the outside world, starting with Macassans , then the Dutch in the 16th century. The British only arrived in the 1800s. The Tiwi people are very proud of their culture and history which was evident in his enthusiasm and humour.
We then walked to the Tiwi Design Centre where we sat in the shade of an open shelter in which there was a fireplace. We were given a traditional with a smoking ceremony which we were told would bless us and drive evil spirits away. A small group of 3 women and 4 men gathered to perform for by rhythm sticks played by the oldest lady , they did three different dances based on animals close to their culture and all connected with the islands. The first was a crocodile dance , followed by a shark then finally a horse one, based on the wild horses on Melville Island, descendants of some left by the British. The oldest man was a real character, inventing new moves and cracking jokes all
the time.They were all related to each other. After our we were given morning tea consisting of damper with assorted toppings like jam and vegemite. During this time Fletcher and I looked around the gallery of goods on sale, manufactured right there by local craftsmen and women.One of the ladies was called Immacolata and we found a beautiful bird carved by her on sale. Pricey at $135, but unique, we purchased it as our souvenir of our trip. She even consented to having a photo taken of her, Fletcher and her carving.
We were then taken to the nearby church. In the early 1900s, a French Catholic priest arrived here to convert the locals. As was the practice at the time, they banned all local customs and beliefs but the islanders continued to honour them anyway. Kevin told us a long story of how a priest who had tried to dislodge one of their totems was nearly drowned but saved by local people who brought him back through smoking and singing him to health. This changed the priests views and the church we entered was decorated with local artworks and totems. If anyone saw the film, Top End
Wedding, this was the church in that. They are trying to get a grant to upgrade and preserve the church. Outside of the church was a statue to a local man Matthias Ulungura, who arrested the first Japanese pilot to be captured in Australia. He had crash landed on Melville Island. , Matthias did not have a gun but turned his small axe around, put this in the back of the pilot and said, Hands Up. He then took the mans gun. The prisoner was later sent to Cowra where he led the breakout!
Back at the Design studio we were given lunch. This consisted of sandwiches of various meats and salad, a piece of cake, a Fruit Box and a small Mars bar. Washed down with cold water this was fine. We were then given the choice of screen printing a tea towel or T shirt. I opted for the former while Fletcher decided on the latter. We could choose from a range of stencils and Fletchers choice was a turtle and mine a cockatoo.
