Page 271 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

INTRODUCING THE NOR THERN TERRIT OR Y  269

Aboriginal people are believed
to have arrived in the Northern
Territory 20,000 to 50,000 years
ago, overland from Asia when the
sea level was much lower. Here,
young male initiates from an
Arnhem Land tribe are carried to
a ceremony to be “made men”.

With a quarter of its present
population born overseas and
another quarter Aboriginal,
Darwin’s racial mix is best seen
in the faces of its children.

Darwin Festival
The 18-day Darwin Festival held in August reflects
the city’s unique indigenous and multicultural
population and proximity to Asia. This colourful
arts-based celebration focuses on cultural
performances, including concerts, workshops,
theatre, dance, music, comedy, film and visual arts.
Darwin Festival began as a floral event in 1979
after the devastation of Cyclone Tracey. The focus
shifted to cultural celebration in the 1990s.

The Filipino
community in Darwin
preserves its traditions,
as seen by these two
girls in national
costume at the
Darwin Festival.
Paspaley Pearls is
Darwin’s wealthiest
local company.
Founded by Greek
settlers, it owns pearl
farms across
northern Australia.

The East Timorese community
of Darwin performs traditional
dancing at a city arts festival.
Most of the East Timorese have
arrived in the city since 1975, in
the wake of Indonesia’s invasion
of East Timor.