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Why are the Eastern Torres Strait Islands called the gardening islands?
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Torres Strait Islander peoples
A Torres Strait Islander boy performing a traditional dance.
The Eastern Torres Strait Islands are referred to as the "gardening islands" because they possess rich, fertile volcanic soil. This environment provides ideal agricultural conditions for the cultivation and gathering of traditional foods, which has historically served as a foundational element of the local economy and survival for the Torres Strait Islander peoples.1