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Coconut Island and Yam Island

These small islands belong to the Central Islands Groups of the Torres Strait.

Coconut Island, also known as Poruma, is a narrow coral island bounded by shallow fringing coral reefs. Tidal encroachment in the 1930s resulted in the emigration of many of the islanders to other islands. The traditional language spoken is the Kalaw Lagaw Ya. Crayfishing is an important industry here. A regular barge services the island with cargo and fresh commodities. Local government services are provided by the Coconut Island Community Council. There is a small tourist resort on the island, the Poruma Island Resort.

Yam Island is also called Iama or Turtle-backed Island. The original inhabitants traded and fought widely in their sailing canoes. In 1792, they came aboard William Bligh's two ships seeking iron. Bligh named Tudu Warrior Island, after an attack they later made. The London Missionary Society established a station at Yam's western end making it possible for a permanent village with people settling around the mission. Many of the men took jobs on pearling luggers and a pearling station operated on Tudu during the 1870s with another at Nahgi (Mount Ernest Island, southwest of Yam). Pacific Islanders working at Nahgi station later settled on Yam. During the Second World War, many Yam men enlisted in the army, forming C Company of the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion.

Despite their seafaring background, Yam people were fairly isolated from the outside world until well after the War. An airstrip was constructed in 1974 and the island's connection to the Torres Strait telephone exchange occurred in 1980. Yam has provided the Torres Strait with important political leaders including Getano Lui Senior (grandson of the first LMS teacher, Lui Getano Lifu) and Getano Lui Junior, former chairman of the Island Coordinating Council.

(This information is courtesy of Torres Strait Island Missions and Communities, © State Library of Queensland 1995-2003...

	Coconut Island	Coconut Island street	Past school and church	Near the shop
	Village centre, Poruma	Coconut Island	Yam Island from the air	Beach at Yam Island
	Street to the shop	Lunch at school	Street on Iama	View to Yam Island

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