Northern Territory Culture & Language

Around 30% of Territorians are Aboriginal — several times the national share — and more than a hundred languages are spoken. This is the one part of Australia where Aboriginal culture is the everyday majority context in many communities rather than a minority one.

The art is the most visible expression: the Papunya Tula acrylic movement began in 1971 and changed Australian art permanently, while Arnhem Land bark painting and the Tiwi Islands have their own distinct traditions.

Non-Aboriginal Territory culture is self-consciously frontier — informal, blunt, heat-adapted, and proud of being a long way from the southern capitals. Darwin is also the most Asian-facing Australian city, closer to Dili and Jakarta than to Sydney.

The dry season is when everything happens: markets, festivals, football and racing all cluster into those months.

English is the working language, but the Territory is the most linguistically diverse part of Australia: more than 100 Aboriginal languages are spoken, many by children as a first language.

Kriol is widely spoken across the north, and Pitjantjatjara, Warlpiri, Arrernte and Yolŋu Matha are all substantial living languages with active media and schooling.

Local usage worth knowing: the Top End is the tropical north, the Centre the desert, the build-up the humid months before the wet breaks, and a billabong is a cut-off river bend — which is also where the crocodiles are.