An art lover's guide to Torres Strait culture

The Torres Strait comprises 274 islands floating between the northern tip of Cape York and Papua New Guinea. Every one of these islands has its own distinct culture and rich history. While most Islanders are multilingual (native languages include Kalaw Kawaw Ya, Kala Lagaw Ya, and Meriam Mer), all are fluent in Torres Strait Creole.

Though proximate to both Australia and Papua New Guinea, Torres Strait Islander culture is utterly unique. First and foremost, the island culture is deeply influenced by the sea. Being an island community, seafaring was, and still is, the main source of food and income for islanders. Ancient practices like navigating by the stars, reading the tide, and living off the sea are still alive today, thanks to the Torres Strait Elders who continue to pass on these customs and traditions to future generations.

The relationship with the ocean is as spiritual as much as it is practical, with many creation myths and legends inspired by marine life. (You can hear more of these stories online with The State Library of Queensland’s recorded collection of traditional island stories, retold from the personal perspective of islanders.) This vibrant heritage of storytelling resonates through various art forms.

Performing Arts

Even within the four different segments of the islands (north, east, west and central), each island has a unique set of songs and dances that illustrate the island’s history. The differences could be as subtle as the tempo or as obvious as the costumes and headdresses used in performing these stories.

Today, these performances are often staged at cultural events, and are particularly prevalent at Cairns’ Indigenous Arts Fair (more on that below).

As part of this visual storytelling, It’s not uncommon to see visual aids incorporated into traditional dances. Things like bow and arrow replicas, mini canoes and sea creatures are often used to represent pivotal aspects of the story.

The one commonality to all performances is the beat of the Warup. As an integral ceremonial item, this drum is pivotal to Torres Strait Islander dance culture, providing the guiding rhythm in dance performances. The resounding sound created by the drum is designed to emulate thunder.

At the conclusion of a performance, it’s the spectators’ turn. Loud whistling and showering the performers in baby powder are the standard signs of audience satisfaction. Sure beats a standing ovation.

Visual Art

A popular Torres Strait art form is lino print carving. These art pieces will immediately catch your eye with their striking detail, and the sense of motion created by the intricate patterns.

Artist Alick Tipoti is renowned for his intricate lino art that depict the stories of Torres Strait Islanders. His work is on display in museums around the world, but in Queensland you can find them at the Cairns Art Gallery.

Also at the Cairns Art Gallery is a collection of handmade masks, traditional artefacts, and headdresses, if you’re more of a sculpture-enthusiast.

Wood carving is also a favoured art form. The skill required to replicate the intricate traditional designs is just one of the many skills passed down through generations, and often showcased on the side of Warup. traditional designs carved into the body of the drum often represents the tribe or what the ceremony is about. Made famous by Torres Strait artists like Edwin Turner, it’s quite common for commemorative carvings to be gifted to friends and family members.

You can find some of these cultural treasures on display at the Queensland Museum in Brisbane’s South Bank. Where artworks are concerned, the Queensland Arts Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art

And if you make it as far as Thursday Island, you can even pop into the Gab Titui Cultural Centre. This is a contemporary art gallery and keeping place for cultural artefacts, in the land of the Kaurareg nation, the traditional custodians of the Kaiwalagal region, which are the Inner Islands of the Torres Strait. The gallery aims to promote and preserve the rich island culture of the Torres Strait, so it’s here that you’ll find everything from touring exhibitions to sacred artefacts.

Fashionable art

From grass skirts (Zazi) to coconut leaf hats, Torres Strait Islanders have been producing wearable art for centuries. The multi-purpose coconut leaf can be woven into practical use as a basket or mat, or be utilised for entertainment in the form of child-friendly crafts such as windmills and fish.

But the most famous aspect of wearable art is the famous headdress (Dhari). If you don’t recognise the name, you’ll certainly recognise the article. As the central motif on the Torres Strait Islander flag, it symbolises the identity and unity of all islands and islanders. Design details vary from island to island, but the underlying concept remains constant and features an arc of frigate bird and Torres Strait Pigeon feathers arranged like a halo.

During performances, dancers wearing Dharis will shake their heads to make the spokes on the ends of the headdress shake. At night, this creates a shimmering effect like a moonlight water’s surface. 

More recently, the Dhari has found its way into contemporary clothing and even graced the catwalk through the designs of Torres Strait fashion designers like Grace Lillian Lee.

The best places to experience Torres Strait Islander art

The craft and artworks created by Torres Strait artists is on show at museums in Queensland all year round. But if you visit in July, you can immerse yourself in a plethora of artistry by attending Queensland’s biggest annual Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF).

A cooperative effort of local galleries and artists, CIAF showcases the arts and culture of the Torres Strait Islanders as well as the Aborginal People. It gives visitors a unique opportunity to meet hundreds of artists and discover more about the history, culture, and process behind their work. Celebrating both of Australia’s Indigenous cultures, this is a unique event and a must for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the Torres Strait cultural arts. 

Alternatively, if you don’t manage to catch CIAF, check out Cairns’ Tanks Arts Centre. Their underlying ethos is investing in the stories and voices of the people who make up their local community. This means they always do something to commemorate important nationwide observances like National Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week.

Where else can you see Torres Strait artwork?

• Gab Titui Cultural Centre – Thursday Island, Torres Strait
• Queensland Museum – South Bank, Brisbane
• Queensland Arts Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art – South Bank, Brisbane
• Tanks Arts Centre – Cairns, Tropical North Queensland