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Torres Strait Islanders facts for kids

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This page is about one of the two ethnically distinct indigenous peoples of Australia, Torres Strait Islanders—the other being Aboriginal Australians . For an overview of these peoples together, see Indigenous Australians.
Not to be confused with South Sea Islanders.
Quick facts for kids
Torres Strait Islanders
TorresStraitIslandsMap.png
Total population
82,054 (2021)
Regions with significant populations
Torres Strait Islands 3,577
Languages
Torres Strait Island languages, Torres Strait Creole, Torres Strait English, Australian English
Religion
Christianity, Islam
Related ethnic groups
Melanesians

The Torres Strait Islanders are the original people of the Torres Strait Islands. These islands are located between the northern tip of Australia and Papua New Guinea. They are part of Queensland, Australia. Torres Strait Islanders are a unique Melanesian people. They have their own distinct culture and history. While often grouped with Aboriginal Australians, they are ethnically different. Many Torres Strait Islander people now live on mainland Australia.

There are five main groups of Torres Strait Islander people. Each group has its own unique culture and traditions. They speak different languages, including Kalaw Lagaw Ya and Meriam Mir. A language called Yumplatok is also widely used for trade. These people have a strong connection to the sea. They are known for their amazing art, including sculptures, prints, and masks.

Discover the Torres Strait Islanders

Who are the Torres Strait Islanders?

Torres Strait Islander people are mainly of Melanesian background. This makes them different from Aboriginal Australians on the mainland. They share some cultural features with people from New Guinea. The five-pointed star on the Torres Strait Islander flag is a special symbol. It represents the five main cultural groups of the islands.

Before European contact, the islanders were not one single group. They had strong connections with people from Papua New Guinea. Many islands are closer to Papua New Guinea than to Australia. There are five main cultural and geographical groups. These groups have different names and descriptions. Some of these groups include the Eastern Islanders (Meriam), Top Western Islanders (Guda Maluilgal), and Central Islanders (Kulkalgal).

Where do Torres Strait Islanders Live?

The Torres Strait Islands are made up of 133 islands. Only 38 of these islands have people living on them. These islands have a special culture. It is different from nearby Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and the Pacific Islands. Over time, traders from Asia and the Pacific Islands visited for valuable sea products. These included sea cucumbers, mother-of-pearl, and trochus shells. This has made the islands a place with many different cultures.

The 2021 Australian census showed that 4,124 people lived on the islands. Most of them (86.7%) were Torres Strait Islander or Aboriginal Australian. Across all of Australia in 2021, about 39,538 people identified as Torres Strait Islander. Another 42,516 people had both Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal ancestry. Many Torres Strait Islanders also live in mainland Queensland. They live in communities like Bamaga, Seisia, Injinoo, Umagico, and New Mapoon. These are located in the northern part of Cape York.

How are the Torres Strait Islands Governed?

For a long time, the Torres Strait Islanders managed their communities. They used elected councils based on old traditions and mission systems. Today, the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA) helps govern the islands. This Australian government group started in 1994. It has 20 elected members. Their main goal is to improve the economy, society, and culture of the Torres Strait people.

Other local government bodies in Queensland also help manage areas where Islanders live. These include the Torres Strait Island Region and the Northern Peninsula Area Region. The Shire of Torres also governs some islands and parts of Cape York Peninsula.

What Languages Do They Speak?

Torres Strait Islanders speak two main Indigenous languages. They also speak a creole language.

  • Kalaw Lagaw Ya is spoken on the southwestern, western, northern, and central islands. It is part of the Pama-Nyungan language family in Australia.
  • Meriam Mir is spoken on the eastern islands. This language is related to other languages spoken in Papua New Guinea.
  • Torres Strait Creole is a language based on English. It is also widely spoken across the islands.

The Rich Culture of the Torres Strait Islanders

Daily Life and Traditions

The culture of the Torres Strait Islands has roots in Papuan and Austronesian traditions. Islanders have always been farmers, growing crops like tobacco. They also hunted and gathered food. Traditional foods like dugong, turtles, crayfish, and fish are still very important. These foods are a big part of their ceremonies and celebrations. Hunting and fishing connect them deeply to the sea.

The islands have a long history of trade with people from all over the world. This has shaped their unique lifestyle and culture. Torres Strait Islander culture is special, with small differences between islands. It shares some similarities with Australian Aboriginal culture and Papuan culture. Stories, songs, dances, and performances are used to pass down their history. The sea, sky, and land are central to their stories and art.

Cultural Changes Over Time

After European contact, new influences came to the people. Christianity became very important. After an event called the "Coming of Light" (which you'll read about below), some traditional items were replaced. Christian symbols like crucifixes became more common.

Anthropologists and museums collected many traditional objects. For example, British anthropologist Alfred Cort Haddon collected about 2,000 items in the late 1800s. These collections, like the Haddon Collection at Cambridge University, help preserve the rich history of Torres Strait Islander art. In the 20th century, traditional knowledge was kept alive through dance, song, and weaving. Later, researchers and historians like Margaret Lawrie helped revive interest in old stories. Her work greatly influenced visual art on the islands.

Amazing Art and Craftsmanship

Art in the Torres Strait Islands is deeply inspired by the ocean and nature. You'll often see images of turtles, fish, dugongs, sharks, seabirds, and saltwater crocodiles. These animals are often seen as special, or totemic, beings.

Torres Strait Islanders are the only culture in the world to make masks from turtleshell. These are called krar in the Western Islands and le-op in the Eastern Islands. Another important art form is wame, which are many different string figures.

Elaborate headdresses called dhari (or dari) are also created. These are used for ceremonial dances and are featured on the Torres Strait Islander flag. The islands have a long tradition of carving wood. They create masks, drums, and decorative items for ceremonies.

In recent times, young artists have brought new life to these traditions. They translate carving skills into printmaking, linocut, and etching. They also create large bronze sculptures. Famous artists include Dennis Nona, Billy Missi, and Alick Tipoti. These artists have expanded Indigenous art in Australia. They bring Melanesian carving skills and new stories to their work. Many young Islanders study art at places like the College of Technical and Further Education on Thursday Island.

Music, Dance, and Storytelling

For Torres Strait Islander people, singing and dancing are like their "literature." They are a very important part of their way of life. They use songs and dances to share their history and stories. The dances act out the songs, and the dancers are the storytellers. Many songs are about the weather, myths, legends, sea life, and important events.

Dance is also a major way to express creativity and compete. Dancers use special "dance machines," clappers, and headdresses (dhari/dari). These items make the performances even more exciting. Each island group has its own unique dances and traditions. Artist Ken Thaiday Snr is famous for his detailed dari, often with moving parts.

Christine Anu is a well-known singer-songwriter with Torres Strait Islander heritage. She became popular with her song "My Island Home".

Sports and Community Spirit

Sports are very popular among Torres Strait Islanders. Many sporting stars come from the community. Sporting events bring people together from different islands. They also connect the Torres Strait with mainland Australia and Papua New Guinea. Rugby league is especially popular. There's even an annual 'Island of Origin' tournament between teams from different islands. Basketball is also a favorite sport.

Beliefs and Community Life

Traditional Stories and Spiritual Beliefs

The people of the Torres Strait Islands have their own traditional belief systems. Stories of the Tagai are central to their spiritual beliefs. The Tagai represent Torres Strait Islanders as sea people. They have a strong connection to the stars. The Tagai also provide a system of order for everything in the world.

One Tagai story tells of a man named Tagai in a canoe. In his left hand, he holds a fishing spear, which represents the Southern Cross. In his right hand, he holds a red fruit. In this story, Tagai and his 12 crew members ate all their food before a journey. So, Tagai tied the crew together in two groups of six. He cast them into the sea, where their images became star patterns in the sky. These patterns can be seen in the star groups of Pleiades and Orion.

Some Torres Strait Islander people share beliefs similar to the Aboriginal peoples' Dreaming concepts. These stories are passed down through oral history.

Oral History and Ancient Laws

One important story tells of four brothers: Malo, Sagai, Kulka, and Siu. They paddled from Cape York (called Kay Daol Dai, meaning "big land") to the central and eastern islands. Each brother started his own tribal group. Sagai became like a god on Iama Island, with the crocodile as his special animal, or totem. Kulka settled on Aureed Island and became the god of hunting. His totem was the fish known as gai gai (Trevally). Siu settled on Masig and became the god of dancing, with the tiger shark (baidam) as his totem.

The eldest brother, Malo, went to Mer Island. He created a set of rules for living, which combined religion and law. These rules were presented by Eddie Mabo in the famous Mabo native title case in 1992.

The Coming of Light: Christianity's Arrival

All Saints Anglican Church (2011)
All Saints Anglican Church on Erub (Darnley Island)

From the 1870s, Christianity spread throughout the islands. It remains a strong faith among Torres Strait Islander people today. Christianity first arrived on Erub (Darnley Island) on 1 July 1871. Missionaries from the London Missionary Society (LMS) arrived on a ship called the Surprise. They were greeted by a clan elder and warrior named Dabad. When a missionary presented Dabad with a Bible, Dabad accepted it. This act was seen as accepting the "Light," bringing Christianity to the Torres Strait Islands.

The islanders adopted Christian rituals and ceremonies. However, they also continued to uphold their connection to the land, sea, and sky. They kept practicing their traditional customs and cultural identity, known as Ailan Kastom. Islanders celebrate this event every year on 1 July. It is called "The Coming of the Light" or Zulai Wan. This celebration shows how Christianity became part of their lives. It also shows how their traditional culture shaped their understanding of the new religion.

Religious Affiliation in 2016

In the 2016 Census, many Torres Strait Islander people identified as Christian. Out of 32,345 Torres Strait Islander people, 20,658 reported being Christian. For those with both Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal identity, 15,586 out of 26,767 reported being Christian. This shows that Christianity is a significant part of their community life.

Understanding Traditional Adoptions

A traditional cultural practice called kupai omasker allows for the adoption of a child. A relative or community member can adopt a child for various reasons. For example, a family might need an heir to care for land. Other reasons relate to caring for relationships between different generations.

For a long time, these adoptions were not legally recognized in Queensland law. This caused problems, such as adopted children not being able to use their adoptive parents' surname. To fix this, the Queensland Government passed a new law on 8 September 2020. This law, called the Meriba Omasker Kaziw Kazipa Act 2020 ("For Our Children's Children"), now legally recognizes these important traditional adoptions.

Inspiring Torres Strait Islander People

Christine Anu 1
Singer Christine Anu, who performed at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics

Many Torres Strait Islander people have achieved great things in various fields.

Activism

  • Tanya Hosch: A social activist based in Adelaide, South Australia.
  • Eddie Koiki Mabo: A land rights campaigner who played a major role in a landmark decision about land ownership in Australia.
  • Sentah Sonny Leo Unmeopa: A social activist and leader.
  • Muara (Lifu) Wacando: Awarded a gold medal for a sea rescue during the 1899 Cyclone Mahina.
  • Elia Ware: A soldier and activist.

Arts

Education

Sports

Athletics

American Football

Jesse Williams 2015
Jesse Williams, who won 2014 Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks

Australian Rules Football

Rugby League

Basketball

  • Michael Ah Matt: A 1964 Olympic basketballer.
  • Nathan Jawai: A basketball player.
  • Patty Mills: NBA champion (2014, San Antonio Spurs) and captain for the Australian Boomers first Olympic medal win.
  • Danny Morseu: A 1980 and 1984 Olympic basketballer.

Soccer

Politics

  • Cynthia Lui: The first Torres Strait Islander elected to the Parliament of Queensland.

Religion

  • Kwami Dai: Assistant Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of Carpentaria.
  • Ted Mosby: Assistant Bishop in the Anglican Diocese of North Queensland.

Other

  • Kapiu Masi Gagai: A pearler, boatman, and mission worker who served in World War II.

Images for kids

  • Torres Strait Islander Indigenous Status

    Geographical distribution of people with Torres Strait Islander Indigenous status

  • Both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Indigenous Status

    Geographical distribution of people with both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Indigenous status

  • Torres Strait Islander ancestry

    Geographical distribution of people with Torres Strait Islander ancestry

  • Torres Strait Islander localities by Indigenous Status

    Indigenous Status of population in localities with significant share of Torres Strait islander population

  • Torres Strait Islander localities by ancestry

    Ancestry of population in localities with significant share of Torres Strait islander population (Torres Strait Islander or other)

  • Torres Strait Islander Languages used at home

    Languages used at home by Torres Strait Islanders in localities with significant share of Torres Strait islander population

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Isleños del estrecho de Torres para niños

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