Prior to European settlement, Groote Eylandt had been inhabited by Aboriginal people for thousands of years and there had been regular contact between local Aboriginal people and Macassan traders, evident in the names of some Groote Eylandt settlements, such as Umbakumba, which can be traced back to a Macassan origin.
Antes do asentamento europeo, Groote Eylandt había estado habitado por aborixes durante miles de anos e houbera contactos regulares entre os aborixes locais e os comerciantes de Macasar, evidentes nos nomes dalgúns asentamentos de Groote Eylandt, tales como Umbakumba, que se poden remontar a un orixe macasar.