Fremantle takes part in Pikataramor camp
The Tiwi Islanders’ generosity gave us amazing memories and a unique cultural experience

Brand Navy rules – some of the youngsters from Xavier College who took part in Fremantle’s visit to the Tiwi Islands.

Only a few hours from Darwin lie the Tiwi Islands, around which patrol boats spend much of their operational time.

So, when the crew of HMAS Fremantle (LCDR Matt Brown) was granted the opportunity to spend some time ashore with the local Tiwi community, they jumped at it.

Fremantle took part in the Xavier College ‘Leadership’ Camp at Pikataramor.

Pikataramor is ‘over the river and about twenty miles inland’ from the township of Nuiu where Xavier College, the local high school, is located.

The camp activities included buffalo, turtle, goose and dugong hunting, fishing, swimming, motivational speakers and traditional dancing and story telling.

70 students as well as friends, family members and teachers, attended the camp.

The camp was a unique and important experience, with many crewmembers enjoying their first exposure to the vibrant Tiwi culture.

The most interesting aspect is their traditional spiritual beliefs and the way spirits were ever present in their daily lives.

Stories about rainbow serpents and spirits in the bush entertained us as we mingled around the water hole or campfire.

One important ritual for the dead forbids the name of the deceased person being spoken until the funeral ceremony is complete, which can take up to a year. Also, anyone who has the same name as the deceased has to change their name for the duration of the ceremony.

Their lives fuse traditional beliefs and modern popular culture. This was highlighted with the screening of a DVD on an open-air cinema screen in the middle of the bush, followed by traditional dancing around a blazing fire.
Australian Rules Football is also ingrained into their lives.

Many of the students idolize indigenous football players. Their school day reflects the game. It is broken into quarters, the teacher is known as the ‘coach’ and the students the ‘players’.

However, even though sport may be seen as one way for the Tiwi Islanders to attain success there is increasingly more emphasis being placed upon education as the vehicle for their future.

On the second day of the camp many students toured Fremantle as she lay at anchor off Pikataramor Beach. The students enjoyed the static displays as well as the experience of looking through binoculars for the first time.

Fremantle’s participation in the camp was an outstanding success. We look forward to an ongoing relationship with the Tiwi Islanders who, gave us amazing memories and a unique cultural experience.

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