Gapuwiyak, Northern Territory

Gapuwiyak, also known as Lake Evella, is an Aboriginal Australian community located in north-eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, 25 kilometres (16 mi) south of the head of Buckingham Bay and about the same distance south-west of Arnhem Bay.

Gapuwiyak is adjacent to Lake Evella. The lake was seen by Harold Shepherdson from his Miles Hawk aeroplane in 1935 and he named it Lake Evella after his wife Ella, and Eva, the wife of a fellow missionary Rev. T.T. Webb.[1]

The population is about 1000 people. [2]The community is serviced by a barge from Darwin once a week that comes up the Buckingham River.

Gapuwiyak means "brackish water" (Gapu – water; Wiyak – salty).

The community comprises Aboriginal people from many different families or clans. It produces a newsletter called Gapuwiyak Dhäwu.

In April 2017, a four-day festival to mark the Rom ceremony was attended by about 500 people at Gapuwiyak School. The Yolngu Rom comprises the laws, values, beliefs, songs, language and culture of the people, and the young people learn from participation in the event, which is attended by people of all ages. It was planned to hold the event each term.[3]

See also

References
  1. Baker, Gwenda (2018). A legendary partnership : Yolŋu, Bäpa Sheppy and Nändi Ella. Casuarina, NT: Historical Society of the Northern Territory. p. 170. ISBN 978-1-925167-93-1.
  2. "Lake Evella". Northern Territory Government information and services. Northern Territory Government of Australia. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  3. "Gapuwiyak School celebrates Yolngu Rom". Department of Education. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2020.


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