heide smith's photographs of Tiwi culture

About Photographs of Tiwi Culture: Anthropologists believe that the Tiwi, and other Aborigines, arrived in Australia from Africa at least 50,000 years ago. The bible tells us that the Earth was created in seven days, and that we are descended from Adam and Eve. The Tiwi have their own creation stories. They believe that the Tiwi Islands were created in the beginning of time, during the Parlinari, or Tiwi Creation time. The culture of the Tiwi is so dramatically different from European customs that it is impossible to describe it in just a few sentences. There is a chapter "Tiwi Culture" in my book "Portrait of a People - the Tiwi Northern Australia" which contains traditional Tiwi stories, and describes the most significant customs and beliefs. "Portrait of a People" is still available in my bookshop.

To see an enlargement, and/or to purchase an image, click on a thumbnail

Viewers should be aware this site contains references to, and images of deceased people