Torres Strait Islanders

Torres Strait Islanders are the Indigenous Melanesian people of a Torres Strait Islands, which are element of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal people of the rest of Australia, they are often grouped with them as Indigenous Australians. Today there are numerous more Torres Strait Islander people alive in mainland Australia most 28,000 than on the Islands about 4,500.

There are five distinct peoples within broader tag of Torres Strait Islander people, based partly on geographical as living as cultural divisions. There are two main Indigenous language groups, Kalaw Lagaw Ya & Meriam Mir. Torres Strait Creole is also widely spoken, as a language of trade and commerce. The core of Island culture is Papuo-Austronesian and the people traditionally a seafaring nation. There is a strong artistic culture, particularly in sculpture, printmaking and mask-making.

Languages

There are two distinct Indigenous languages spoken on the Islands, as well as a creole language.

The Western-central Torres Strait Language, or Kalaw Lagaw Ya, is spoken on the southwestern, western, northern and central islands; a further dialect, Kala Kawa Ya Top Western and Western may be distinguished. this is the a ingredient of the Pama-Nyungan types of languages of Australia.

Meriam Mir is spoken on the eastern islands. it is one of the four Eastern Trans-Fly languages, the other three being spoken in Papua New Guinea.

Torres Strait Creole, an English-based creole language, is also spoken.