Isla Milingimbi

La isla Milingimbi , también conocida como Yurruwi , es la isla más grande del grupo de islas Cocodrilo, situada frente a la costa de Arnhem Land , en el Territorio del Norte de Australia.

Milingimbi se encuentra aproximadamente a 440 kilómetros (270 millas) al este de Darwin y a 200 kilómetros (120 millas) al oeste de Nhulunbuy . ^{[ 1 ]}  

Los aborígenes han ocupado la zona durante más de 40.000 años. Era un importante centro ritual para las grandes ceremonias realizadas por los habitantes indígenas. ^{[ 7 ]} El pueblo Yolngu, de habla Yan-nhangu, es el propietario tradicional de Milingimbi y sus mares e islas circundantes. ^{[ 8 ]} En 1923, la Misión Metodista de Ultramar estableció una misión en la isla, ^{[ 1 ] [ 9 ]} que atrajo a aborígenes de grupos de clanes orientales . Entre ellos se encontraban personas de habla Gupapuyŋu y Djambarrpuyŋu , así como personas de habla Wangurri y Warramirri . ^{[ 8 ]} Thomas Theodor Webb (1885–1948) ^{[ 10 ]} dirigió la misión en la década de 1920. ^{[ 11 ]}

The island was bombed by the Japanese during World War II^[12] and most of its population moved to nearby Elcho Island. After the war, the island continued to be used as a Royal Australian Air Force base, before the missionaries returned in 1951.^[1]

Edgar Almond Wells was superintendent at the mission in the 1950s. Like Webb before him, he was interested in the Yolngu people's art, not only for the income it brought to the mission when sold, but also as means to better understand the Indigenous people's culture. The Musée d'ethnographie de Genève in Switzerland holds a wooden carving of a cormorant (wurran), a clan totem collected by Wells.^[10]

The mission administered the island until 1974, after which management was transferred to Milingimbi Community Incorporated. In 2008 Milingimbi, became part of the East Arnhem Regional Council, which took over local government.^[1][9]

English is a second, third or fourth language for most Aboriginal residents of Milingimbi. A successful bilingual program of the Milingimbi CEC, started in 1974, was stopped. Bilingual education continues on some of the surrounding outstations, run by traditional owners concerned to support the linguistic, cultural and biological diversity of the Crocodile Islands. To that end, the Yan-nhangu traditional owners have started the volunteer Crocodile Islands Rangers project to promote sustainable livelihood activities for local people in local languages.^[13]

The island has its own airfield, Milingimbi Airport, with the airport call-sign YMGB, and is also the site of a Bureau of Meteorology weather station. The island also has its own ALPA (Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation) store, post office and an art gallery. Milingimbi has a community library serviced by East Arnhem Regional Council.^[14]

• Binyinyuwuy Djarrankuykuy was a leading Aboriginal artist from the island of Milingimbi. His works are held in major museums around the world.^[15]
• Tom Djäwa, an artist and community leader and elder, was part of recordings that appeared on the Voyager Golden Record, along with Mudpo and Waliparu.
• Artist David Malangi attended school at Milingimbi in his childhood.^[16]
• Según un relato, el reconocido fabricante e intérprete de didgeridoo , Djalu Gurruwiwi , nació en Milingimbi. ^{[ 17 ]}
• Laurie Baymarrwangga , nombrada australiana mayor del año 2012 en el Territorio del Norte, era la djungaya (administradora) principal de la isla Milingimbi. Recibió el Premio a la Innovación e Investigación del Territorio del Norte de 2011 por sus proyectos, entre los que se incluyen el desarrollo de un diccionario Yan-nhaŋu (1994-2012) y su trabajo con los guardaparques de las Islas Cocodrilo. En 1935, Donald Thomson fotografió a Baymarrwangga en Milingimbi y en Murrungga. ^{[ 18 ]}
• Danzal Baker (conocido profesionalmente como 'Baker Boy') es un influyente artista musical originario de Milingimbi ^{[ 19 ].}

• Milingimbi forma parte del Consejo del Condado de East Arnhem
• Proyecto de guardabosques de Crocodile Islands
• Mapa de la isla Milingimbi

12°05′42″S 134°53′35″E / 12.095°S 134.893°E / -12.095; 134.893