I would like to introduce everyone to my most loved place in the world, the Northern Territory of Australia

WARNING
some links contain names and images of deceased Aboriginal people

Indigenous Australians have lived in the present area of the Northern Territory for an estimated 40,000 years and extensive seasonal trade links existed between them and the peoples of what is now Indonesia for at least five centuries.

With the coming of the British, there were four early attempts to settle the harsh environment of the northern coast, of which three failed in starvation and despair.

The Northern Territory was part of New South Wales from 1825 to 1863, except for a brief time from February to December 1846, when it was part of the short lived colony of North Australia.
It was part of South Australia from 1863 to 1911. Under the administration of South Australia, the overland telegraph was constructed between 1870 and 1872

It has some of the most beautiful scenery in Australia (or indeed the world, but I'm bias) and some of the National Parks have to be seen to be believed

Some of my favourite places
Casuarina which derives its suburban name from the casuarina trees that grow along the nearby Casuarina Beach.

Daly River, a river and a town which is traditionally owned by the Malak Malak people who live both in Nauiyu and at Wooliana downstream from the community
European discovery of Daly River was in 1865 by Boyle FINNISS, the first Premier of South Australia and Government Resident in the Northern Territory. Finniss named the river after Sir Dominick DALY, the Governor of South Australia, since the Northern Territory was at that time part of South Australia. The region lay untouched by Europeans until 1882 when copper was discovered
It is a great place to camp and catch the Barramundi fish for breakfast

Kakadu national Park has to be seen to be believed.
It covers an area of 4,894,000 acres, extending nearly 200km from north to south and over 100km from east to west.
The name Kakadu comes from the mispronunciation of ?Gagadju? which is the name of an Aboriginal language spoken in the northern part of the Park.
Aboriginal people have occupied the Kakadu area continuously for at least 40 000 years. There are more than 5000 recorded art sites illustrating Aboriginal culture over thousands of years.
The Chinese, Malays and Portuguese all claim to have been the first non-Aboriginal explorers of Australia?s north coast. The first surviving written account comes from the Dutch. In 1623 Jan CARSTENZ made his way west across the Gulf of Carpentaria to what is believed to be Groote Eylandt. Abel TASMAN is the next documented explorer to visit this part of the coast in 1644. He was the first person to record European contact with Aboriginal people. Almost a century later Matthew FLINDERS surveyed the Gulf of Carpentaria in 1802 and 1803 (much more information is at the link)

There are many more places that I would call my favourites. Many places we visit and explore but will leave that for another time

Indigenous Australians n the Northern Territory
The Northern Territory is home to Australia?s largest population of Aboriginal people.

Jacob NAYINGGAL (a Traditional Land Owner) said "Come and hear our stories, see our land. A little bit might stay in your hearts"

This is a great site Aboriginal Culture which will teach you a lot about the 'Top End' of Australia.

Some of the links there:
* Does the sound of the Didjeridu send shivers up your spine like it does for me ?, then visit DIDJERIDU STORY

* The billabongs, woodlands, sandstone escarpments and coastal beaches of the Northern Territory provide a rich source of food and medicines used by Aboriginal people for tens of thousands of years.
Bush Tucker is a multitude of plants and animals that are used in a variety of ways to best extract their nutritional and medicinal values. They can also be used to make baskets, boats and ceremonial decoration.

There are also a number of other minisite links:

* Tiwi Islands Culture. A slideshow of everyday Tiwi

* Kakadu Land Owner. A short National Geographc video of the heritage and home of Bessie COLEMAN.
Bessie says "Kakadu is different" !! (a wonderful understatement)

* Aboriginal Artist Tommy CROW. A short National Geographic video of artist Tommy Crow talking about the awesome scenery in outback Alice Springs

* Aboriginal Art in Alice Springs

* Arnhem Land Aboriginal Art

* Central Aboriginal Art. Features the artists:
.. Lorna FENCER Napurrula
.. Emily Kame KNGWARREYE (Central Desert artist famous for disguising her personal Dreatime stories which prevents people from correctly interpreting them if they are not entitled to know the stories),
.. Judy NAPANGARDI Watson,
.. Clifford POSSUM Tjapaltjarri (1932-2002)
.. Eunice JACK Napanangka
.. Albert NAMATJIRA
.. Nura RUPERT (Maniya)

* Aboriginal Rock Art. A slideshow capturing moments in time

* Tennant Creek Aboriginal Art. (A short video) Traditional stories told through paitings. Nine Aboriginal groups call the area home, including the Warumungu, Walpiri, Kaiditch and Alyawarr people. According to Warumungu legend, the town of Tennant Creek grew up around the home of a spiky tailed goanna called Nyinkka - a powerful ancestral being.

* Aboriginal Art in the Top End. Some of the artists featured here are:
.. Kitty KANTILLA "I will paint until the day I die"
.. BARDAYAL 'Lofty' Nadjamerrek (1926-2009)
.. John MAWURNDJUL
.. Richard BIRRINBIRRIN
.. Djambawa MARAWILI
.. Gertie HUDDLESTONE (and 12 other artists)
.. Yidumduma 'Bill' HARNEY

* Art & Culture A slide show of Sand & Canvas Paintings using dyed spinifex, flower petals, and emu feathers

Art Styles, Symbols & Stories.


Welcome to my world.
Next time I will tell you about the family and ancestors I am researching

the paintig was done for me in 2008 by a lady of the Noongar people (West Ausralia)