Who are Torres Strait Islanders?
Torres Strait Islanders are the Indigenous people of the islands in the Torres Strait, between Cape York and Papua New Guinea. Their cultures are distinct from those of Aboriginal Australians and are closely tied to the sea.
Torres Strait Islander people have Melanesian cultural roots and traditions of seafaring, fishing, gardening, dance and song. About 17 of the islands are inhabited, and Thursday Island is the main administrative centre.
More Torres Strait Islanders now live on the Australian mainland than in the strait itself, especially in Queensland cities such as Cairns and Townsville.
Flag and land rights
The Torres Strait Islander flag, designed by Bernard Namok in 1992, features green for the land, blue for the sea, black for the people and a white dhari, a traditional headdress, with a star.
In 1992, the High Court's Mabo decision, brought by Eddie Koiki Mabo from Mer (Murray Island), overturned the idea of terra nullius and recognised native title.
Torres Strait Islanders were also given the right to vote in federal elections in 1962, along with Aboriginal people, and many served in the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion during the Second World War.
Did You Know?
Mabo Day is marked on 3 June, the anniversary of the High Court decision.