A confrontation provoked by an attack on a young man at the remote Aboriginal community of Wadeye, in the Northern Territory, has been defused without further violence.

A young man from the community 250 kilometres south-west of Darwin was attacked with an axe last night.

A laceration to his head severed an artery and he was flown to Royal Darwin Hospital.

Angry relatives confronted his attacker's family.

There was a stand-off between 70 members of the community, with some people wielding sticks and baseball bats.

But Wadeye Police Sergeant Dean McMaster says no-one was injured.

"It was more a show of strength, a show of frustration and anger that a family member had been hurt," he said.

Police organised a community meeting this morning that was conducted in the local language by elders, members of both families and traditional owners.

"A lot of it was in Murrinpatha and it seemed to reach a peaceful outcome," he said.

Sergeant McMaster says charges will be laid but no-one has been arrested.