History

ELCHO ISLAND - HISTORY

Elcho Island is a traditional Aboriginal (Yolngu) community situated approximately 550km north-east from Darwin, Northern Territory and is the southern most Island of the Wessel Island chain.

The length of Elcho Island is around 50kms and only 6kms wide, but because of the dirt, bush track roads it can take many hours by four-wheel drive to get from one end to the other and at times in the wet season is inaccessible.

The township of Galiwin'ku is based at the southern end of Elcho Island and has a floating population of around 2,200 Yolngu people which includes outstations at Mata Mata, Inglis Island, Maparru and Gariyak and many others.

Djambarrpuyngu and Gupapuyngu are the most commonly spoken Yolngu Mata languages, but there are perhaps another 12 languages, which are also spoken, for example Galpu clan members speaking Galpu language and Warramiri clan speaking Warramiri language.

The local language still includes Maccassan words for example, 'rupiah' is used as the word 'money'. Maccassan bloodlines continue on Elcho Island today as evidence of the interactions of the Maccassan men and the local Yolngu women, a few of the women 'marrying' and returning to Indonesia with the sailors.

Elcho is a tropical Island with varying terrain. The eastern side of the Island is banked with mangroves and mud, a perfect situation for the locals favourite food, the mud crab and barramundi.

The western side of the Island consists of sandy beaches and reef where oysters, crayfish, various reef fish and turtles are hunted.

Areas of the Island consists of tropical rainforests, tidal creeks and large cliff areas containing brightly coloured ochre rocks which are used for body paint for ceremonies as well as for making paint for art works.