Torres Strait Islanders
Torres Strait Islanders (/ˈtɒrɪs-/ TORR-iss-) are the Indigenous Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal peoples of the rest of Australia, they are often grouped with them as Indigenous Australians. Today there are many more Torres Strait Islander people living in mainland Australia (nearly 28,000) than on the Islands (about 4,500).
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c.66,387 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Torres Strait Islands 4,514 | |
| Australia (mainland) | 61,873 |
| Languages | |
| Torres Strait Island languages, Torres Strait Creole, Torres Strait English, Australian English | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Melanesians | |
Note difficulties with census counts. | |
There are five distinct peoples within the broader designation of Torres Strait Islander people, based partly on geographical and cultural divisions. There are two main Indigenous language groups, Kalaw Lagaw Ya and 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 are traditionally a seafaring nation. There is a strong artistic culture, particularly in sculpture, printmaking and mask-making.