Tiwi Islands

On another sunny and warm, I took a taxi from MOM to Cullen Bay Ferry Terminal to take Sealink's 08.00 tour to the Tiwi Islands which are part of the Northern Territory. Darlene, from the recent Intrepid tour, was also on the trip.
After a smooth journey of 150 minutes and 80km across the Timor Sea, we arrived at Wurrumiyanga on Melville Island where there was a welcoming ceremony with dancers representing animals, and smoke from the fire to clear ju-ju. We were guided around the small town to see funeral poles, the church, and the radio transmission hut from where a message was sent on 19 February 1942 warning Darwin of the Japanese air-raid.
The museum had lots of carvings, and stories about the Catholic mission, sports heroes, and the capture of a Japanese pilot, Australia's first prisoner-of-war.
The Islands have a population of about 3,000 who are not Aboriginal Australians. The population consists of clans based on skin group and names, and everyone is cross-related to each other.
After lunch, we were given the choice of screen-printing a tee-shirt or a towel. I chose the latter and had the assistance of a member of the arts centre. On my return to London, I had the towel with its jabiru pattern framed.
I bought a carved mini funeral pole topped with a bird.
The return journey was a bit rougher.
Staying in Cullen Bay, Darlene and myself met Steve and Anne-Marie who had come to Darwin from Alice Springs to take another Intrepid tour. We dined alfreso at a seafood buffet restaurant overlooking the beach with a good view of the sunset through the palm trees.
After saying a final goodbye to the others, I returned to MOM.Read more