Gab Titui Cultural Centre: Torres Strait Art and Culture, Thursday Island, Queensland
Gab Titui Cultural Centre opened in 2004 on Waiben (Thursday Island), on the land of the Kaurareg Nation in the Kaiwalagal region of the Torres Strait. It is the Torres Strait's first keeping place for historical artefacts and contemporary Indigenous art, operated by the Torres Strait Regional Authority. The name carries meaning in two languages: "Gab" means journey in Miriam Mer, and "Titui" means stars in Kala Lagaw Ya. Together, "Journey of the Stars" reflects the navigation traditions of Torres Strait Islander ancestors and the aspirations of the communities the centre represents.
The centre was championed by the late Elder Ephraim Bani, whose vision for a cultural keeping place shaped everything that followed. The permanent Ephraim Bani Gallery holds artefacts, displays, and artworks of cultural significance to the islands. The Wabunaw Geth Gallery is the main exhibition space, with a changing program of contemporary works including sculptures, headdresses, intricate lino-cut prints, wood carvings, paintings, and jewellery made from local pearl and sea shells. Artist Thomas Pedro, from the Wagadagam tribe, is known for his headdresses made from natural fibres and materials, each one different, each designed from the era when his forefathers danced in the Torres Strait. The centre supports more than 120 artists across 20 communities in the Torres Strait and Northern Peninsula Area, and has been inducted into the Queensland Tourism Awards Hall of Fame for excellence in Indigenous tourism. It also runs the biennial Gab Titui Indigenous Art Award. The establishment of Gab Titui in 2004 directly sparked three regional art centres on the outer islands at Badu, Erub, and Kubin.
Gab Titui Cultural Centre at a glance
- Location: Corner of Victoria Parade and Blackall Street, Thursday Island QLD 4875. On Kaurareg Country, Kaiwalagal region.
- Opened: 2004. Operated by the Torres Strait Regional Authority (TSRA).
- Galleries: Wabunaw Geth Gallery (changing contemporary exhibitions) and Ephraim Bani Gallery (permanent cultural collection).
- Hours: April to October, Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm. November to March, Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm, Saturday 9:30am to 1pm.
- Access: Thursday Island is accessible by air from Cairns and by ferry from Horn Island. No permit required to visit the centre.
