Dauan IKC

The Dauan IKC was opened on 30 June 2006 and since that time the Torres Strait Island Regional Council (TSIRC) has partnered with State Library of Queensland to continue to deliver a library service for community members. Dauan IKC has delivered a range of projects with our support, including Taking IT On, Remote Indigenous Public Internet Access (RIPIA), Culture Love and Deadly Digital Communities.

Culture Love was a project delivered through a partnership between Arts Queensland, State Library and respective Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Shire and Regional Councils across Queensland. The partnership commenced in 2009 and continued for many years. Projects were delivered during school holidays and covered themes such as art, language, music to capture and enhance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and history.

At Dauan, Culture Love took place from 2 to 6 July 2013, for community members, children and young people, Elders, local artists, knowledge experts and visiting arts workers to celebrate culture through the arts. At the end of the weeklong project, an interactive bilingual book, called The Coming of the Light Dauan Island was created using original artwork. The story is presented in both Kala Kawaw Ya (KKY) and English.  

Learn more about Coming of the Light and see the wonderful books created at the end of the Culture Love project in the videos below. 

Exploring the collection

If you’d like to explore some of State Library’s collection items relating to Dauan Island, we have suggestions in the links below:

• TR 1791 Margaret Lawrie Collection of Torres Strait Islands Material 1964-1998
  The collection contains stories from the Torres Strait islands in audio-tape and manuscript form. These formed the basis for the publication of "Myths and Legends of Torres Strait" (1970) and "Tales from Torres Strait" (1972).

• Dauan, island of Torres Strait / photography & coordination: Travis Teske ; information: Simona Naiama ... [et al.].
  Travis Teske 1945- ; Simona Naiama ; Queensland. Far Northern Schools Development Unit. ; Thursday Island, Qld. : Far Northern Schools Development Unit ; 1990

• Siwia Elisala, carver of Dauan
  Dauan Island State School ; Queensland. Department of Education. Priority Country Area Program. ; Cairns, Qld. : Priority Country Area Program ; 1990

The Dauan IKC is one of ten IKCs operated by the Torres Strait Island Regional Council (TSIRC) in partnership with State Library of Queensland. The other IKCs are located at Badu, Boigu, Erub, Hammond Island, Iama, Kubin Village, Mabuiag, Poruma and Warraber. 

Celebrating 20 years of IKCs

n 2002, the first Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs) were developed in partnership with then Aboriginal Community and Island Councils across Queensland. Seven IKCs were opened in 2002 with many more to follow over the years.

This year thirteen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Shire and Regional Councils will celebrate the role their IKCs play in their communities; as libraries, meeting places, hubs and keeping places.