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Arafura Sea
Designation: Sea
History:
The Arafura Sea is the name of the sea abutting the north coast of the Northern Territory between Cape Don and Cape Arnhem. The name first appeared in use in GW Earl's 1837 "Sailing Directions for the Arafura" in which he compiled translations from earlier Dutch mariner explorations.
It has been suggested that the name Arafura is of Portuguese origin, being the corruption of the word "Alfours" meaning "free men", but recent research at the Dutch National Archives has revealed AJ van der Aa's 1939 Toponymic Dictionary records "the inhabitants of the Moluccas called themselves "haraforas", translating "Anak anak gunung" as "children of the mountains"."
The Arafura Sea name is therefore from the indigenous name for "the people of mountains" in the Moluccas (part of Indonesia) as identified by Dutch Lieutenants Kolff and Modera in the 1830's.
Alternate Names:
Get more information about this place from:
- NT Placenames Register
- Bush Telegraph
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135.0377,-11.045,20