Northern Territory Town Profiles

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Lillian Griffith
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1 Pirlangimpi

2 Northern Territory Town Profiles Our thanks to Paul Kelly, Gangajang, The Hoodoo Gurus, The Warumpi Band and The Castle for the inspiration for Alongside s chapter headings. Thank you to the rangers, community members, shires, NTPFES employees and their families who shared their experiences and expertise with Alongside in the creation of these profiles. Copyright 2017 Alongside All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of authors. To obtain permission contact: Paige Hobbs paige@alongside.org.au Phone: Level 16 The Charles Darwin Centre, 19 Smith St, Darwin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are warned that the following book may contain images of deceased persons. hello@alongside.org.au Design by One Idea

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5 Moving to a new location can be stressful and overwhelming for several reasons, not least because you may be moving to a remote community, or a town you have never been to before. Partners and families of Northern Territory Police are often required to move around the Territory to support a loved one in the job and while Alongside cannot make some of those changes go away, we can help reduce some of the unknowns for you. We understand that moving somewhere new can be daunting. It is our job to offset those feelings the best we can by providing you with as much information possible on the community you are about to call home. The Alongside town profiles are here to help. Designed to provide Northern Territory Police, their partners and families an overview of each location in the Northern Territory, the Alongside town profiles detail everything from the nuts-and-bolts essentials to suggestions of great things to do on the weekend, how to assimilate into local cultures and the general vibe of a place. From all of us at Alongside, welcome to Pirlangimpi! Pirlangimpi

6 FROM LITTLE THINGS, BIG THINGS GROW Town Overview Pirlangimpi, also known as Garden Point is an Aboriginal community that lies along the western coastline of Melville Island. It is in the Apsley Strait, between Bathurst and Melville Islands, which is part of the Tiwi Islands. Bathurst Island is easily seen from Pirlangimpie. It is approximately 125 kilometres by air, or 30 minutes flying time from Darwin. Pirlangimpi, is one of three communities on Melville Island, the other two being Wurrumiyanga and Milikapiti. Wurrumiyanga has a population of nearly 1,500, and Milikapiti and Pirlangimpie have around 450 each. Pirlangimpi is in the Nguiu Ward of the Tiwi Islands council. Heritage The first contact the Tiwi people had with another race appears to have been through trade with the seafaring Maccassans, who travelled to the islands in search of trepang (sea cucumber) for the Chinese market on the monsoon winds each year. Early European contact with the Tiwi was marred by violence and hostility. The first recorded contact was in 1705 when three Dutch ships spent several months exploring the Tiwi and Coburg coastline. They landed on the north coast of Melville Island on what is now Northern Territory Town Profiles

7 known as Karslake Peninsula and were met by spears to try and drive them from the land. In contrast to other areas along the north coast, evidence suggests that the Tiwi were consistently hostile to Macassans. It was a British navigator who in 1818 finally established that there were two separate land areas and named them Bathurst Island and Melville Island respectively. The exploration led to the British Government becoming interested in establishing a settlement on the north coast of Australia and in 1824 Fort Dundas was established on Melville Island, near what is today Pirlangimpie. In 1939, the government of the day set up a ration centre at Pirlangimpi to care for the Tiwi people of Melville Island. The next year a Catholic mission began to look after children of mixed parentage. Later the mission moved to the township of Milikapiti. In 1978, the ownership of Melville Island was formally handed back to the Tiwi people and today the island is held under trust of the Tiwi Land Council. Indigenous communities The Traditional Custodians of Melville Island are the Tiwi people, who have inhabited the area long before European settlement. Most residents speak Tiwi as their first language and English as a second language. Most of the population live in one of the three main communities. Pirlangimpi

8 DREAMTIME STORIES As in all Aboriginal cultures, there existed an intimate link between art and ceremony in traditional Tiwi society. But Tiwi ritual life does not focus on specific totems, designated Dreaming sites, or secret closed rituals such as mainland initiation. Instead, Tiwi rites of passage are concentrated in a series of public ceremonies that ensure the lifting and clearance of complex pukamani taboos associated with death and mourning. The Tiwi islands of Bathurst and Melville were created at the beginning of time during the dreaming or Palaneri. Before this time there was only darkness and the earth was flat. Northern Territory Town Profiles

9 The story of Mudungkala An old blind woman arose from the ground at Murupianga in the south-east of Melville Island. Clasping her three infants to her breast and crawling on her knees she travelled slowly north. The fresh water that bubbled up in the track she made became the tideways or the Clarence and Dundas Straits, dividing the two islands from the mainland. She made her way slowly around the land mass and then, deciding it was too large, created the Apsley Strait dividing the Islands. She then decreed that the bare islands be covered with vegetation and inhabited with animals so that her three children left behind would have food. Nobody knows where she came from. Having completed her work, Mudungkala vanished. Maryanne Mungatopi, PALANERI -THE CREATION PERIOD, 1998 Pirlangimpi

10 WITH DIFFERENT LIVES, IN DIFFERENT PLACES Climate Like much of the Northern Territory, Pirlangimpie has both a wet and a dry season. Wet season is from October to April and dry season is from May to September. The hot and humid wet season build-up occurs from September with building humidity, intermittent lightning storms and downpours. Rains typically arrive between December and January with regular heavy downpours and the possibility of cyclones. The dry season is cooler and dryer, there is very little rain and much lower humidity. Cyclones are a regular event on the Tiwi Islands. All The Essentials Pirlangimpi is an Alcohol Restricted Zone under the Liquor Act. Pirlangimpi club sells mid strength beer only. Restrictions apply on take away alcohol and a permit is required. Check with local police on arrival for more information. All visitors must obtain a permit from the appropriate authority for the duration of their stay. Permits may be required for any person visiting the community including activities such as fishing, camping and visiting certain beaches. Permit application for Pirlangimpi is through Tiwi Land Council. Northern Territory Town Profiles

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12 Pirlangimpie Store is a well-stocked medium size store with fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen meat, bread, dairy and dry food items. The store also sells a small range of clothes and electrical appliances. Freshly made takeaway food items are available from the store daily. The store is open Monday through Saturday and is managed by the Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation (ALPA), one of the largest independent employers of Aboriginal people in Australia. ATM and EFTPOS facilities are available at most stores in all communities on the Island. Grocery orders can be made online via either Woolworths or Coles and sent by Tiwi Barge Service from Darwin to Pirlangimpi. There is a petrol station at the store which is open 24 hours, seven days per week for diesel and unleaded fuels. You may need to buy a fuel card at the store to enable access outside store opening hours. Opal and diesel fuels are also available at Wurrumiyanga, Milikapiti and Ranku. Mail arrives via plane from Winnellie and is delivered to the Council Office. The Council Office also provides Centrelink services. Northern Territory Town Profiles

13 Melville Island has numerous accommodation options including Johnson River Camp, which is an extremely isolated fishing camp situated in the pristine upper reaches of the Johnson River on the north-east coast of Melville Island. Robertson Creek Campsite, is another option providing basic camp sites, located on the north east of Cape Gambier. A private boat and visitor permit is required. Camp Point Camp Site also provides basic camp site facilities and is located on Cape Keith. A private boat and visitor permit is required. For the fishermen at heart, Munupi Wilderness Lodge is one of Australia s must see fishing destinations. Commercial accommodation is available at the Lodge which is situated on the outskirts of Pirlangimpi. It is a spacious, cool and relaxing retreat from the warm tropical climate and provides comfortable air conditioned rooms for the whole family. Enjoy a refreshing drink and hearty meal at the bar or restaurant overlooking the picturesque Apsley Straight. Pirlangimpi

14 The Community Health Centre provides primary health care services to the residents of Pirlangimpi. The Centre is staffed by two fulltime Registered Nurses who are supported by Aboriginal health workers. Specialists visit the Centre periodically. There is no pharmacy available within the community, however the Health Centre dispenses medication as required. Check with the Health Centre on arrival for sacred sites to avoid and health or social issues to be aware of. Mobile coverage is supplied via Telstra, or a Telstra compliant network only in the communities of Wurrumiyanga, Pirlangimpi and Milikapiti. Public phones are also located in these three communities. A satellite phone will be required for coverage outside of the communities. There is no public internet access. Satellite dish receivers provide a television service to the Island, broadcasting ABC, Imparja and 7 Central. ABC Radio National (98.8FM) is also transmitted to the area. Local news and information is provided through Broadcasting for Remote Area Communities Service (BRACS) in Nguiu, Pirlangimpi and Milikapiti. Tiwi Times a bi-monthly newsletter is published by the Tiwi Land Council. Northern Territory Town Profiles

15 There is a primary school located at Pirlangimpi which caters for pre-school through to upper primary. Through all programs offered at the school, there is a strong recognition of the inclusion of Tiwi culture and community. Families are consulted about school matters and are included in school activities. Friday s are dedicated to learning about Tiwi culture, students from years 3 and up are taught classes by the community Elders. There are 36 students enrolled in the primary school according to the 2016 Census. The community library is located at the primary school. For years 7 and upwards many students leave to attend boarding colleges in Darwin, such as St Johns and Kormilda. Some choose to go to the local boarding school, Tiwi College. Tiwi College is owned and managed through the Tiwi Education Board. The College prioritises holistic learning and helping the young Tiwi become work ready. There is also a Community Development Employment Program run from Tiwi College. The Pirlangimpi Creche is available and offers places to children in the community, up to school age. Pirlangimpi

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17 IN CONVOYS OF SILENCE THE CATTLE GRAZE Sport The community has a recreation hall, a sports oval, swimming pool and a nine-hole golf course. Tiwi Islanders are keen Australian Rules Football players and compete in regular competitions in the Northern Territory. Pirlangimpi is the home of the famous Imalu Tigers AFL football club. In March each year, the Tiwi Island Grand Final takes place, which is attended by spectators from across Australia. Pirlangimpi

18 Recreation The main recreational activity in Pirlangimpie is fishing. Clearwater Island Fishing Lodge is great place for local information on the best fishing spots. Visit one of the many Melville Springs such as Pookalippi, Kilinpinni, Turracumbi, and Turrucumpi. These are all perfect places for swimming, snorkelling, diving and the great Australian family picnic. Relax in the secluded crystal clear waters of a deep rainforest spring, each containing spiritual significance to the Tiwi people. The Primary School hosts the Turtle Dreaming Festival, which is held over the period of a week and integrates Tiwi culture with the key areas of learning literacy, numeracy, science, visual arts and music. Turtle Dreaming is aimed at involving families, students and community in the school and is based around cultural activities. It seeks to build bridges between cultural knowledge and school knowledge. Northern Territory Town Profiles

Arts The Munupi Arts and Crafts Association is in Pirlangimpi. It is a highly-regarded art centre for its community involvement and art practice.

19 Arts The Munupi Arts and Crafts Association is in Pirlangimpi. It is a highly-regarded art centre for its community involvement and art practice. There is a great range of paintings and carvings available for sale. The Association provides local artists with opportunities to proudly celebrate Tiwi culture through both traditional and contemporary mediums. For over 25 years Munupi Arts has been a vital meeting place for the Tiwi people of the Pirlangimpi community for employment, cultural pride and well-being. Munupi Art is wholly indigenous owned and governed. Pirlangimpi artwork Pirlangimpi

20 I M TOLD I M GOING PLACES Pirlangimpi is located approximately 125 kilometres by air from Darwin. Residents can commute to and from Bathurst Island to Darwin via ferry service, which takes approximately two hours, however it only operates during dry season. Travel between Bathurst and Melville Islands is possible by car and passenger barge service six days per week. Wurrumiyanga and Paru Tiwi Islands Regional Council Inter Islands Car Ferry runs Monday to Friday. Tickets are available at Council Offices or by phone. There is a sealed airstrip known as Bathurst Airport, approximately two kilometres from Wurrumiyanga. Alternatively, there are two other airports, Snake Bay Airport at Milikapiti and Garden Point Airport at Pirlangimpi. There are several daily flights between Darwin and Nguiu by Fly Tiwi or Kakadu Air which take about 20 minutes. Tiwi Enterprises has a range of vehicles available for hire from Wurrumiyanga. They can be arranged for pick up at the airstrip. Distances out of Pirlangimpi; Wurrumiyanga...79km Milikapiti...28km Darwin...30-minute flight Northern Territory Town Profiles

PLACES TO START Tiwi Islands Regional Council website provides a fantastic overview of the community. www.tiwiislands.org.

21 PLACES TO START Tiwi Islands Regional Council website provides a fantastic overview of the community. Munupi Wilderness Lodge offers an array of holiday activities for the whole family. Clearwater Island Lodge has fishing packages available which include the Tiwi Grand Final. Get in early to avoid disappointment where Fishing Permits are included in your packages. The Munupi Arts website has information on culture, creation stories, exhibitions and art sales, artworks and artist profiles. The Northern Territory s Bushtel website has profiles on all communities in the Northern Territory. The profiles provide a quick snap-shot of information on each community. Pirlangimpi

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