Photos of Torres Strait Islander Dancing in Queensland, Australia

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Torres Strait Islander Dancing in Queensland

The Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands have a unique culture, completely different from those of the neighbouring Aborigines. They were a fierce warrior people and lived from the sea. This is obvious in their dances, featuring fishing implements and headdresses with shark motives, among others. Their craft, like the dancing costumes of the Saibai islanders and feather headdresses are also real works of art.

Boy from Bamaga
 
Boy dancers, Bamaga
 
Torres Strait children
 
Young dancers
 
Girls' dance
 
Young boy dancer
 
Small Bamaga dancer
 
Thursday Island dance
 
“dhari” headdress
 
Shark dance from Mer
 
 
Murray Island dancer
 
Headdress from Mer
 
Zeuben Erkep dancers
 
Karanga dancer
 
Sardine scoop dance
 
 
Mackay Meriam group
 
Mabuiag Dance Group
 
Mer Island women's dance
 
Dance from Saibai
 
Saibai Island dancers
 
Saibai Paddle Dance
 
Saibai Dancers
 
Saibai Island boys
 
Thursday Island dance
 
Dance from Boigu
 
Yam Island dancers
 
T.I. High School Dancers
 
 
Mabuiag Island dance
 
Young Mabuiag dancer
 
“dhari” headdress
 
Engagement party
 
Mer Island Dance
 
All ages welcome
 
Spirited Mer Island dance
 
Senior women's dance
 
Mer women's dance
 
Dance from Iama
 
Drumming and singing
 
Saibai Island dancers
 
Shark Dance
 
Baizam (Shark) Dance
 
Maumatang War Dance
 
Murray Island dancing
 
Woman's dances
 
Kab Kar Dance
 

The different islands have their own distinct dances, like those of Mer (also known as Murray Island) in the eastern Torres Strait; the Baizam (Shark) dance, the "Kab Kar" ritual dance with the "dhari" headdresses and the various women's dances are typical for this group. The Top Western Islands, like Saibai and Boigu, just off the coast of Papua New Guinea, are greatly influenced by that region, as can be seen in the long drums, sometimes covered with shark skin, and the warrior's dance "Maumatang", performed with bows and arrows. The Saibai Islanders' "Eagle Dance" is unique, with its wooden wings and head movements, rapidly side-to-side with their huge headdresses.

The young learn their dances also at school, in places like Thursday Island and Bamaga, a mixed community on the mainland of Cape York. And Djarragun College, a school of indigenous students in Gordonvale, south of Cairns, had very strong Torres Strait islander dance groups from the different island groups; regularly relatives of the students and also ex-students joined in during celebrations at the school and at festivals around Cairns and beyond. One important event on the agenda, before being cancelled due to lack of funds, was the yearly "Croc Festival" where children from different Island communities (and also some from Aboriginal communities from northern Queensland) came together for a few days of celebrations, with traditional and contemporary dancing.

Celebrations like weddings and engagement parties are great occasions where everyone is welcome, a big feast ("kapmauri", where vegetables, meat and fish are cooked in an underground oven) is prepared and young and old join in traditional dancing, accompanied by the long hourglass drums and singing. These are wonderful occasions, with men, women and children all singing and dancing together, whether in their home islands or in places like Cairns; the community spirit remains extremely strong.