tiwi

The Tiwi are an Indigenous Australian people living on the Tiwi Islands, located in the Arafura Sea off the northern coast of the Northern Territory. The archipelago consists of Bathurst and Melville Islands. The Tiwi population is roughly three thousand, with most people residing in three communities: Nguiu (Wurrumiyanga) on Bathurst Island, and Milikapiti and Pirlangimpi on Melville Island.

The Tiwi language is traditionally spoken by the Tiwi people and is generally regarded as a language isolate within Australia. Most Tiwi people are bilingual in Tiwi and English, with language transmission continuing through families and community life. English is commonly used in education and public life.

Tiwi culture is noted for its kinship-based social organization, ceremonial practices, and distinctive art. Tiwi art centers produce painting, weaving, carving, and textile works that are circulated in national and international galleries. The pukunmani (pukumani) funerary poles, carved from hardwood and painted with geometric and figurative motifs, are a well-known part of Tiwi ceremonial life. The island’s art tradition remains an important economic and cultural activity for many communities.

Historically, contact with Macassan traders and later European missionaries shaped Tiwi society. Catholic missions established on Bathurst Island in the early 20th century influenced religious life and education. Today, the Tiwi Islands are administered by the Tiwi Islands Regional Council within the Northern Territory. The local communities—the most populous Nguiu, Milikapiti, and Pirlangimpi—support an economy based on government services, arts and crafts, and tourism.