A group of Tiwi Island sistagirls are heading to the Sydney Mardi Gras for the first time. Photograph: Supplied

As the evening light settles over a Rapid Creek backyard, eight Tiwi Island sistagirls are making their final preparations to fly to Sydney.

A large portion of the 30 Aboriginal transgender women from the islands, north of Darwin, are already in Sydney, sending daily selfies and Facebook updates as they explore the southern city. For many, its their first time in Sydney. It will be everyones first ever Mardi Gras.

This years event is the 39th Sydney Mardi Gras, born from protests about LGBTQI rights in the 1970s. More than 10,000 people are expected to march in the parade, which has grown into an international event, drawing crowds of hundreds of thousands to Sydneys Oxford street.

Theres a discussion around the Rapid Creek table about just how famous the sistagirls are already. Over the years, there have been regular news stories about them, and in recent weeks just about every outlet has covered their Mardi Gras plans.

But all that is pretty abstract until they take centre stage at what is arguably Australias biggest party. The Tiwi Islands is home to just a few thousand people. By contrast, about 300,000 people are expected to attend the parade, which is also broadcast nationally and reported worldwide.

Patricia Puruntatameris hand goes to her heart and she tears up a little. I just dont know what to think. Wow. Its going to be so exciting, I can just imagine it already. Oh em gee! She laughs.

The sistagirls are a close-knit group from across the Tiwi communities, who have supported each other through decades of seeking acceptance. Years past have been marred by suicides, bullying and discrimination.

Jayma Timaepatua says theyll be marching to remember the older sistagirls, who have passed away and who have pain.

If not for them I wouldnt be here for now, she says.

The group first began planning the Mardi Gras adventure late last year. Various subsets within the 30 have travelled with the assistance of crowdfunding, support from the local art centre, or with money from their own pocket. Staying in Redfern, theyll have spent Friday getting their nails, hair and makeup done.

Their costumes are in traditional Tiwi designs featuring clan totem animals, hand-printed in glowing rainbow paint. Were all excited about going. We just finished screen printing, and the colour has come out so nice, says Lima Alimankinni.

The Northern Territory float, expected to be towards the front of the parade will feature twinkling stars, representing the Northern Territory skies.

No one really knows what to expect, but they hope to meet sistagirls from other communities as well as a few celebrities including NT locals Miranda Tapsell and Rob Collins.

Alex Greenwich, the independent Sydney MP and co-chair of the Australian Marriage Equality Campaign, says the sistagirls coming to Sydney is a reminder of the breadth of Australias LGBTI community.

Its really important for Australias LGBTI community to really be welcoming, inclusive and celebrate entrants like that and to also make sure there are those connections made, he told Guardian Australia this week.

And Im sure there is also lots of stuff we can learn from the strong sense of community I know the sistagirls on the Tiwi Islands have.

To go to the Mardi Gras is to showcase our culture and our people, how Tiwi people evolved in this generation and how we became stronger in our community, sistagirl Crystal Johnson told the ABC. To show people you can make a change.

Puruntatameri says she might also like to tell others in the LGBTI community about life on the Tiwi Islands, to tell them about our hunting and gathering, and singing.

Were just going to walk and wave to the people, she says.

To say that were here, interjects Anthony Tipungwuti.

Puruntatameri nods. And that we do exist.

Go here to see the original:

Their first Mardi Gras: a journey for Tiwi Island sistagirls decades in the making - The Guardian