Dugong and marine turtle: teaching resource and information package

Abstract

For Torres Strait Islanders, dugong and marine turtle represent more than just subsistence, a source of meat, or a relic of past times; it is a way of life. Dugong and marine turtle are integral to the customary way of life or Ailan Kastom of the Indigenous peoples of Torres Strait. A complex system of logic, knowledge, magic and language, environmental perception, social expectations and responsibilities, and the roots of Islander totems, myths and legends revolve around dugong and marine turtle. The dugong and marine turtle are also symbols of Torres Strait Islanders’ quest to assert their cultural identity and aspirations for self-determination. Dugong and marine turtle hunting also includes cultural adaptation to the coming of modern times. As such there is a responsibility in Ailan Kastom, with respect to culturally important resources such as dugongs and marine turtles.