The iCross-Cultural Citizen Project-Our Indigenous World: Yolngu

The Yolngu people are located in the Northeast of the Arnhem Land in the Northern Territories of Australia. According to FilmAustraliaCeremony.com.au, their region covers more than 40,000 square kilometers of the Arnhem Land and there are more than 50 Yolngu clans located in the area. EALTA.org states that the Yolngu have occupied their lands for at least 50,000 years, which was recorded through their paintings, dances and songs. This land is aboriginal land and visitors need a permit to travel there.

The Gove Peninsula has two main settlements--Yirrkala and Nhulunbuy. Yirrkala is a small indigenous town with a population of 800. On the other hand, Nhulunbuy is a mining town constructed in the 1970's to help develop an open-cut bauxite mine. The town is now the fourth largest town in the Northern Territory.