Tiwi Food: Plants

Tiwi Name 

Common Name

Scientific Name 

Tiwi Season

Use 

Alimpunga 

Black Currant

Antidesma ghesaembilla

Jamutakari

The fruit, which are eaten when they turn black, are very sweet and tasty. 

Jaliwaki

Bush Potato

Brachystelma glabriflorum

Jamutakari

Black star-like flowers in Jamutakari, the wet season, indicate that Jaliwaki, a disc-shaped yam, is ready to be dug up, cleaned and eaten. The flesh, which is very tasty, can be eaten raw or lightly roasted.

Jimijinga

Milky Plum

Persoonia falcata

Jamutakari

The fruit are eaten when ripe - green but soft to the touch. 

Jora

Carpentaria Palm

Carpentaria acuminata

All seasons

The flesh of the growing point, or tia, is eaten after chopping open the leaf bases to expose the pale crisp flesh. The white pith, or pajikura, can be squeezed or sucked to obtain water, or it may be cooked and then eaten. In the past, sections of stem were carried on long walks as a supply of water.

Kanuli

Cocky Apple

Planchonia careya

Jamutakari

The corms at the base of the stem in the mud are dug up, roasted and eaten. Sometimes when Mayimampi (Magpie Geese) are killed the crop is full of Kirlinja. These are taken and eaten.

Kirlinja

Water Chestnut

Eleocharis dulcis

Kumunupunari

The corms at the base of the stem in the mud are dug up, roasted and eaten. Sometimes when Mayimampi (Magpie Geese) are killed the crop is full of Kirlinja. These are taken and eaten.

Kurlama

Yam

Dioscorea bulbifera

End of Jamutakari

Kurlama yams are the focus for the Kurlama ceremony, which is a highly significant event in the Tiwi ceremonial calendar. Kurlama yams are only eaten after the ceremony. 

Malinki

Peanut Tree

Sterculia quadrifida

Tiyari

The black seeds, which taste like raw peanuts, are eaten when the fruit are ripe and split open. 

Minta

Cycad

Cycas armstrongii

Kumunupunari

The orange seeds, kwaka, are roasted in ashes, cracked, dehusked and pounded. The pulp is soaked in water for three days and nights before it can be eaten. If the seeds are eaten raw they may cause severe vomiting and sickness.

Miyaringa

Pandanus

Pandanus spiralis

Kumunupunari

The seeds, temelepama, inside the fruit, wurranya, are eaten after roasting. 

Muranga

Long Yam

Dioscorea transversa

Kumunupunari

Muranga yam may be eaten raw or roasted. It is considered excellent food and is a staple. The timing of its use is the same as for Kurlama.

Parntirringa

White Currant

Flueggea virosa

Jamutakari

The fruit is eaten when ripe and pink and is very tasty compared to other Bush Apples. Pinyama is one of the most highly regarded Tiwi foods.

Pinyawini

Red Bush Apple

Syzygium suborbiculare

Tiyari

The red fruit is eaten but not the seed. Pinyawini is not considered to be as sweet or tasty as Pinyama. 

Pirlamunga

Billy Goat Plum

Terminalia ferdinandiana

Jamutakari

Pirlamunga fruit are eaten when they ripen to a pale green to yellow colour. 

Purnarrika

Water Lily

Nymphaea violacea

Kumunupunari

The tuberous roots of Purnarrika are dug out the of the mud, cleaned, peeled and eaten. The seeds and flowers are also eaten.

Rani

Wild Carrot

Abelmoschus moschatus

Jamutakari

The carrot-like tuber is dug up, cleaned and eaten.

Tiyoni

Cheeky Yam

Amorphophallus galbra

Kumunupunari

The tuber is dug up when the above ground stems have gone yellow and then covered in coals and cooked overnight. The tuber is eaten on the first night of the Kurlama ceremony. 

Wakajini

Eriosema chinense

Late Jamutakari/ early Kumunupunari

The small tubers are dug up and eaten after roasting on ashes. 

Wupwarna

Bush Pumpkin

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius

Jamutakari

The tuber is eaten after extensive preparation, which includes overnight cooking. 

Wurnika

Black Plum

Vitex glabrata

Jamutakari

Wurnika fruit, which are eaten when black, are very sweet and highly regarded as a food source. 

Yankumwani

Green Plum

Buchanania obovata

Jamutakari

Yankumwani fruit are eaten when ripe - green but soft to touch. New sucker shoots, which appear after fire, are red and fleshy. The red skin is peeled off and the inner green stem eaten.