Tiwi Islands

 “My grandfather told me this story. Minyalawuy, she is creation mother. All these dilly bags that she carries on her head that is all the people, in different tribes and languages. So this women came from north side of Bathurst Island. She came to two Islands, Bathurst and Melville Island, she dropped one bag at each.” Jill Nganjmirra – Cultural Strands

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 Image: Tiwi Islands - Monica Napper, Peter Eve.

   
 

Geographical Location

Melville and Bathurst Islands form the Tiwi Islands, 80 kilometres north of Darwin where there are three main communities of Nguiu (Bathurst Island), Pirlangimpi and Milikapiti (Melville Island). Tiwi artists are prolific and produce diverse works on paper and canvas as well as sculpture and carvings.