Yothu Yindi (Yolngu for "child and mother") is an Australian band with Aboriginal and
balanda (non-Aboriginal) members formed in 1986. Aboriginal members come from
Yolngu homelandsThe Yolngu are an Indigenous Australian people inhabiting north-eastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. Yolngu literally means “person” in the language spoken by the people.-Yolŋu Law:...
near
YirrkalaYirrkala is a well-known indigenous community in Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia, at , 18 km South-East from the large mining town of Nhulunbuy...
on the
Gove PeninsulaThe Gove Peninsula is at the northeastern corner of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. The peninsula became strategically important during World War II when an airforce base was constructed at what is now Gove Airport...
in
Northern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
's
Arnhem LandThe Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National Park, and a...
. Founding members included Stuart Kellaway on
bass guitarThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
, Cal Williams on
lead guitarA lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, and guitar solos within a song structure.In rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz and fusion bands and some pop contexts as well as others, the lead guitar lines are usually supported by a second guitarist who plays...
, Witiyana Marika on
manikay (traditional vocals),
bilma (ironwood
clapstickClapsticks or clappers are a type of drumstick or percussion mallet that are used to serve the purpose of maintaining rhythm. Unlike drumsticks, which are generally used to strike a drum, clapsticks are intended for striking one stick on another....
s) and dance, Milkayngu Mununggurr on
yidaki (
didgeridooThe digeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia at least 1,500 years ago and is still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe". Musicologists classify it as...
),
Geoffrey Gurrumul YunupinguGeoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is an Indigenous Australian musician, who sings in the Yolngu language.He was born on Elcho Island, off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Australia about 350 miles from Darwin. He is from the Gumatj clan of the Yolngu and his mother from the Galpu nation....
on
keyboardsA keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include various types of organs as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, guitar and percussion, and leader
Mandawuy YunupinguMandawuy Yunupingu , born 17 September 1956, is an Aboriginal Australian musician, most notable for being the front man of the band Yothu Yindi.-Early life:...
on vocals and guitar.
The band combines aspects of both musical cultures, their sound varies from traditional Aboriginal songs to modern
popPop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs...
and
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
songs, where they blend the typical instruments associated with pop/rock bands, such as guitars and
drumsA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
, with the traditional
yidaki and
bilma. They have adapted traditional Yolngu dance performances to accompany their music, more broadly they promote mutual respect and understanding in the coming together of different cultures. Yothu Yindi's most widely known song "Treaty" peaked at #11 on the
ARIA singles chartsThe ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
in 1991 and the related album
Tribal Voice-Track listing:#"Gapu" #"Treaty" #"Djäpana"...
peaked at #4 on the ARIA albums charts. The second single from
Tribal Voice was "Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)" which peaked at #13 in 1992. Their debut album was
Homeland MovementHomeland Movement is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1989 on the Mushroom Records label.-Track listing:* "Mainstream" * "Yolngu Woman" * "Homeland Movement" * "Djapana"...
in 1988 on
Mushroom RecordsMushroom Records is an Australian record company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. As of 2006 it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros. Records...
, other albums are
FreedomFreedom is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1993 under the Mushroom Records label.-Track listing:#"Timeless Land" #"World of Innocence"...
in 1993,
Birrkuta - Wild HoneyBirrkuta - Wild Honey is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1996 under the Yothu Yindi Music record label.-Track listing:#"Tears for Law" #"Yolngu Woman"...
in 1996,
One BloodOne Blood is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1999 under the Yothu Yindi Music label.-Track listing:# "Laykarrambu" # "One Blood"...
in 1998 and
GarmaGarma is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 2000 under the Yothu Yindi Music label.-Track listing:# "Macassan Crew"...
in 2000.
The group helped established the Yothu Yindi Foundation in 1990 to promote Yulngu cultural development, including from 1999 producing the annual
Garma Festival of Traditional CulturesThe Garma Festival of Traditional Culture is an annual festival that is held in north-east Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is a celebration of the cultural inheritance of the Yolngu people.-References:...
and as from May 2007 running the
Dilthan Yolngunha (Healing Place). Chairman of the foundation is
Galarrwuy YunupinguGalarrwuy YunupinguAM is a leader in the Australian Indigenous community, and has been involved in the fight for Land Rights throughout his career...
, he is Mandawuy's older brother, a Yolgnu clan leader and sometimes a member of Yothu Yindi on
bilma and guitar. Galarrwuy had been named
Australian of the YearThe Australian of the Year Awards commenced in 1960. From nominations received, Australia Day Committees in each state and territory select several finalists and recipients for their respective state and territory Australian of the Year Awards...
in 1978 for his work for Aboriginal communities and Mandawuy was Australian of the Year for 1992 for his work with Yothu Yindi.
Early years: 1986–1990
Swamp Jockeys was formed in 1985 containing
balanda (European/non-Aboriginal people) Andrew Belletty on
drumsA drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
, Stuart Kellaway on
bass guitarThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
and Cal Williams on
lead guitarA lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, and guitar solos within a song structure.In rock, heavy metal, blues, jazz and fusion bands and some pop contexts as well as others, the lead guitar lines are usually supported by a second guitarist who plays...
, on their tour of
Arnhem LandThe Arnhem Land Region is one of the five regions of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around 500km from the territory capital Darwin. The region has an area of 97,000 km² which also covers the area of Kakadu National Park, and a...
in Australia's
Northern TerritoryThe Northern Territory is a federal territory of Australia, occupying much of the centre of the mainland continent, as well as the central northern regions...
they were supported by a
YolnguThe Yolngu are an Indigenous Australian people inhabiting north-eastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. Yolngu literally means “person” in the language spoken by the people.-Yolŋu Law:...
band containing Witiyana Marika on
manikay (traditional vocals),
bilma (ironwood
clapstickClapsticks or clappers are a type of drumstick or percussion mallet that are used to serve the purpose of maintaining rhythm. Unlike drumsticks, which are generally used to strike a drum, clapsticks are intended for striking one stick on another....
s) and dance, Milkayngu Mununggurr on
yidaki (
didgeridooThe digeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia at least 1,500 years ago and is still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe". Musicologists classify it as...
),
Gurrumul 'The Guru' YunupinguGeoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is an Indigenous Australian musician, who sings in the Yolngu language.He was born on Elcho Island, off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Australia about 350 miles from Darwin. He is from the Gumatj clan of the Yolngu and his mother from the Galpu nation....
on
keyboardsA keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include various types of organs as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, guitar and percussion, and
Mandawuy YunupinguMandawuy Yunupingu , born 17 September 1956, is an Aboriginal Australian musician, most notable for being the front man of the band Yothu Yindi.-Early life:...
(born Bakamana Yunupingu) on vocals and guitar. They united to form Yothu Yindi (pronounced 'yo-thoo yin-dee'),
yothu yindi is a
Yolngu mathaYolŋu Matha is a cover term for the languages of the Yolngu , the Indigenous people of northeast Arnhem Land in northern Australia. ....
(Yolngu language) kinship term for "child and mother". The band combines aspects of both musical cultures, their sound varies from traditional Aboriginal songs to modern
popPop music is a music genre that developed from the mid-1950s as a softer alternative to rock 'n' roll and later to rock music. It has a focus on commercial recording, often orientated towards a youth market, usually through the medium of relatively short and simple love songs...
and
rockRock music is a genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the 1960s. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country music and also drew on folk music, jazz and classical music....
songs, where they blend the typical instruments associated with pop/rock bands, such as guitars and drums, with the traditional
yidaki and
bilma. They have adapted traditional Yolngu dance performances to accompany their music, more broadly they promote mutual respect and understanding in the coming together of different cultures.>
Mandawuy Yunupingu was a tertiary student studying to become a teacher, he later became principal at his own
YirrkalaYirrkala is a well-known indigenous community in Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia, at , 18 km South-East from the large mining town of Nhulunbuy...
Community School, touring by Yothu Yindi was restricted to school holidays in the early years of the band. In August 1988 they performed in
Townsville, QueenslandTownsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Australia, in the state of Queensland. Adjacent to the central section of the Great Barrier Reef, it is in the dry tropics region of Queensland. Townsville is Australia's largest urban centre north of the Sunshine Coast, with a 2006 census...
at the South Pacific Festival of Arts, next month they represented Australia in Seoul, South Korea at the Cultural Olympics.
Bart WilloughbyBart Willoughby is an Indigenous Australian musician, noted for his pioneering fusion of reggae with Indigenous Australian musical influences, and for his contribution to growth of Indigenous music in Australia....
(ex-
No Fixed AddressNo Fixed Address is an Australian Aboriginal reggae group formed in 1978. Led by Bart Willoughby, the band supported Peter Tosh on his 1982 Australian tour....
,
Coloured StoneColoured Stone is a band from Ceduna, South Australia. Their sound has been described as having a reggae thump and a funk feel, with unique Aboriginal qualities...
) joined on drums in late 1988 and Yothu Yindi toured USA and Canada as support act to
Midnight OilMidnight Oil, known also as "The Oils" to fans, is an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
. Upon return to Australia they were signed to Midnight Oil's label,
Mushroom RecordsMushroom Records is an Australian record company formed by Michael Gudinski and Ray Evans in 1972. After its sale in 1998, it merged into Festival Mushroom Records. As of 2006 it is one of the record labels operated by Warner Bros. Records...
and, with Leszek Karski producing, recorded their debut single "Mainstream" released in March 1989. It was followed by debut album
Homeland Movement in May, a second single "Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)" was released in August, neither singles nor album had any major chart success. Yothu Yindi toured with
Neil YoungNeil Percival Young, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and film director. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1995 and also as a member of Buffalo Springfield in 1997....
in Australia, the band then head-lined to Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong, in 1990 they toured New Zealand with
Tracy ChapmanTracy Chapman is an American singer–songwriter, best known for her singles "Fast Car", "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution", "Baby Can I Hold You", "Give Me One Reason", "The Promise" and "Telling Stories". She is a multi-platinum and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist.-Biography:Chapman was born in...
, and then performed in festivals in the UK. In 1990 five clans of the Yolngu formed the Yothu Yindi Foundation to promote Yulngu cultural development. Chairman of the foundation is
Galarrwuy YunupinguGalarrwuy YunupinguAM is a leader in the Australian Indigenous community, and has been involved in the fight for Land Rights throughout his career...
, he is Mandawuy's older brother, a Yolngu clan leader and sometimes a member of Yothu Yindi on
bilma and guitar. Galarrwuy had been named
Australian of the YearThe Australian of the Year Awards commenced in 1960. From nominations received, Australia Day Committees in each state and territory select several finalists and recipients for their respective state and territory Australian of the Year Awards...
in 1978 for his work for Aboriginal communities.
"Treaty" and Tribal Voice: 1991–1992
In 1988, as part of Bicentennial celebrations, Australian
Prime MinisterThe Prime Minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia, holding office on commission from the Governor-General. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful political office in Australia...
Bob HawkeRobert James Lee Hawke, AC was the 23rd Prime Minister of Australia and longest serving Australian Labor Party Prime Minister....
visited the Northern Territory for the Barunga festival where he was presented with a statement of Aboriginal political objectives by
Galarrwuy YunupinguGalarrwuy YunupinguAM is a leader in the Australian Indigenous community, and has been involved in the fight for Land Rights throughout his career...
and
Wenten RubuntjaW. Rubuntja was an Australian artist and Aboriginal rights activist. He belonged to the Arrernte indigenous people of Central Australia. His works were painted in acrylic or watercolours and influenced by themes from Dreamtime myths. His paintings are to be found in Australia's Parliament House,...
. Hawke responded to the Barunga Statement with a promise that a treaty would be concluded with
Indigenous AustraliansIndigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands, and these peoples' descendants. Indigenous Australians are distinguished as either Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders, who currently together make up about 2.6% of Australia's...
by 1990. By 1991, Yothu Yindi were Hughie Benjamin on drums, Sophie Garrkali and Julie Gungunbuy as dancers, Kellaway, Marika, Mununggurr, Gurrumul Yunupingu, Makuma Yunupingu on
yidaki, vocals,
bilma, Mandawuy Yunupingu, Mangatjay Yunupingu as a dancer. Mandawuy, with his older brother Galarrwuy, wanted a song to highlight the lack of progress on the treaty between Aboriginal peoples and the federal government. Mandawuy recalls:
"Treaty" was written by Australian musician
Paul KellyPaul Maurice Kelly is an Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist and harmonica player...
and Yothu Yindi members Mandawuy Yunupingu, Kellaway, Williams, Gurrumul Yunupingu, Mununggurr and Marika. The initial release had little interest, but Melbourne-based dance remixers Filthy Lucre's Robert Goodge (ex-
I'm TalkingI'm Talking was a 1980s Australian funk-pop rock band, which featured vocalists Kate Ceberano and Zan Abeyratne. They formed in 1983 in Melbourne and provided top ten hit singles "Trust Me", "Do You Wanna Be?" and "Holy Word" and a top fifteen album, Bear Witness, before disbanding in...
) and Gavin Campbell adapted the song, their version peaked at #11 on the
Australian Recording Industry AssociationThe Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
(ARIA) singles
chartsThe ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
by September. The song contains lyrics in both English and in Yolngu
matha, it was accompanied by a video showing band members performing vocals, music, and dance.
Success for the single was transferred to the related album
Tribal Voice-Track listing:#"Gapu" #"Treaty" #"Djäpana"...
which peaked at #4 on the ARIA albums charts, The album produced by Mark Moffatt for Mushroom Records was released in September 1991. Mandawuy Yunupingu took leave of absence from his duties as principal to tour and promote the single and album. Other singles from the album were a re-released "Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)" which peaked at #13 in 1992 and "Tribal Voice" which didn't reach the Top 50. At the 1992
ARIA AwardsThe Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards is an annual awards night celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Record Industry Association . The event has been held annually since 1987, when it was first conceived by Glen Mylne and Jim Keyes...
Yothu Yindi won awards for 'Best Cover Art' for
Tribal Voice by Louise Beach and Mushroom Art; 'Engineer of the Year' for "Maralitja" (
maralitja is Yolngu
matha for crocodile man - one of Mandawuy's tribal names), "Dharpa" (
dharpa is tree), "Treaty", "Treaty (Filthy Lucre remix)" and "Tribal Voice" by David Price, Ted Howard, Greg Henderson and Simon Polinski; 'Best Indigenous Release' for
Tribal Voice; 'Song of the Year' for "Treaty"; and 'Single of the Year' for "Treaty". Both "Treaty" in 1992 and "Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)" in 1993 charted on the
Billboard Hot Dance Club PlayBillboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...
singles charts, with "Treaty" peaking at #6,
Tribal Voice peaked at #3 on the
Billboard Top World Music Albums chart in 1992.
In October 1992, then Prime Minister,
Paul KeatingPaul John Keating was the 24th Prime Minister of Australia, serving from 1991 to 1996. He came to prominence as the reformist treasurer in the Hawke government from 1983...
's government awarded Yothu Yindi with a $30,000 grant. The money was used to travel to New York, where they performed at the United Nations for the launch of International Year for the World's Indigenous People. Mandawuy Yunupingu was named
Australian of the YearThe Australian of the Year Awards commenced in 1960. From nominations received, Australia Day Committees in each state and territory select several finalists and recipients for their respective state and territory Australian of the Year Awards...
by the Keating government on 26 January 1993. His older brother, Galarrwuy had been named Australian of the Year in 1978 for his work for Aboriginal communities.
Later years: 1993–present
At the 1993 ARIA Awards, Yothu Yindi won 'Best Video', directed by Stephen Johnson, and 'Best Indigenous Release' for "Djäpana" and 'Engineer of the Year' for Greg Henderson's work on "Djäpana" and "Tribal Voice". Yothu Yindi's third album
FreedomFreedom is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1993 under the Mushroom Records label.-Track listing:#"Timeless Land" #"World of Innocence"...
was released in November 1993, the line-up included Mandawuy, Gurrumul, Makuna and Mangatjay Yunupingu, Marika, Williams, Kellaway, Benjamin and Munumggurr; and new members Banula Marika on vocals and dance, Bunimburr Marika on
yidaki, Natalie Gillespie on vocals, Jodie Cockatoo Creed on vocals and clan leader Galarrwuy Yunupingu on
bilma and vocals. After intense touring in 1994, Williams left Yothu Yindi and was replaced by Colin Simpson on guitar, they added Ben Hakalitz (ex-Not Drowning Waving) on drums and Baruka Tau-Matagu on keyboards. Gurrumul Yunupingu had left by 1995 to live full time on
Elcho IslandElcho Island is an island off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia. It is located at the southern end of the Wessel Islands group located in the East Arnhem Region. The island's largest community is the settlement of Galiwin'ku....
, he later formed Salt Water Band to record three albums, and in 2007 released his self-titled solo album. Yothu Yindi's fourth album
BirrkutaBirrkuta - Wild Honey is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1996 under the Yothu Yindi Music record label.-Track listing:#"Tears for Law" #"Yolngu Woman"...
(
birrkuta means wild honey) was released in August 1996.
"
I Am AustralianI am Australian is a popular Australian song written in 1987 by Bruce Woodley of The Seekers and Dobe Newton of The Bushwackers. The music was composed by Bruce Woodley. Its lyrics are filled with many historic and cultural references, such as to the 'digger', Albert Namatjira and Ned Kelly, among...
" is a popular song written in 1987 by Dobe Newton of
The BushwackersThe Bushwackers Band is an Australian folk and country music band or Bush band who began at La Trobe University, Melbourne, in 1971...
and
Bruce WoodleyBruce Woodley , is an Australian singer, guitarist, and chief songwriter of the successful pop-folk group The Seekers, and as composer of the song "I Am Australian"...
of
The SeekersThe Seekers were a group of Australian folk-influenced popular musicians that was formed in Melbourne in 1962. They were the first Australian popular music group to achieve significant chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the United States....
. It was released as a single in 1997 by trio
Judith DurhamJudith Durham, OAM is an Australian jazz singer and musician who became the lead vocalist for the Australian popular folk music group The Seekers in 1963. She left the group in mid-1968 to pursue her solo career...
of The Seekers,
Russell HitchcockRussell Charles Hitchcock is an Australian musician and one half of the group Air Supply. He formed the group after meeting Englishman Graham Russell in 1975 on the set of a production of Jesus Christ Superstar....
from
Air SupplyAir Supply are a soft rock duo who had a succession of hits worldwide through the late 1970s and early 1980s. It consists of British guitarist and vocalist Graham Russell and Australian lead vocalist Russell Hitchcock , plus various...
and Yothu Yindi's
Mandawuy YunupinguMandawuy Yunupingu , born 17 September 1956, is an Aboriginal Australian musician, most notable for being the front man of the band Yothu Yindi.-Early life:...
by
EMIThe EMI Group is a British music company. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major publishing arm- EMI Music Publishing- based in New York City...
Australia and it peaked at #17 on the ARIA Singles Charts in June.
Yothu Yindi's fifth album
One BloodOne Blood is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1999 under the Yothu Yindi Music label.-Track listing:# "Laykarrambu" # "One Blood"...
was released in 1999 and included "Treaty '98". They sponsored the Yothu Yindi Foundation, which produces the annual
Garma Festival of Traditional CulturesThe Garma Festival of Traditional Culture is an annual festival that is held in north-east Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is a celebration of the cultural inheritance of the Yolngu people.-References:...
celebrating Yolngu culture from 1999, and their sixth album
GarmaGarma is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 2000 under the Yothu Yindi Music label.-Track listing:# "Macassan Crew"...
was released in 2000, with Cal Williams returning on guitars. In 2000, Yothu Yindi performed at the closing ceremony of the
Sydney Olympic GamesThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 16 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
. On 9 August 2000, 30-year old Betsy Yunupingu was kicked in the head and subsequently died, Yothu Yindi band member Gavin Makuma Yunupingu was found guilty of "commiting a dangerous act causing death" and in June 2002 he was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment at Berrimah Jail,
DarwinDarwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 120,652, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
. Gavin is the son of Galarrwuy and nephew of Mandawuy.
In May 2001 the
Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA)The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. Its head office is in Sydney, with other offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
, as part of its 75th Anniversary celebrations, named "Treaty" as one of the
Top 30 Australian songsAPRA's Top 30 Australian songs of all time was a list created by the Australasian Performing Right Association to celebrate its 75th anniversary. A panel of 100 music personalities were asked to list the ten best Australian songs, the data was compiled and the Top Ten in numerical order, were...
of all time. In 2003 Yothu Yindi toured through Northern Territory schools with Mandawuy Yunupingu,
yidaki players Gapanbulu Yunupingu and Nicky Yunupingu, and Kellaway using songs, storytelling and open discussions to inspire and encourage some of Australia's most vulnerable young people to attend school and stay healthy. The Yothu Yindi Foundation in May 2007 established the
Dilthan Yolngunha (Healing Place) using traditional healing practices and mainstream medicines. On 23 July 2008 a 23-year old woman was stabbed numerous times, Nicky Yunupingu, who was described by Northern Territory police as the offender, was later found dead by hanging. Nicky was the nephew of both Galarrwuy and Mandawuy Yunupingu, and, as members of Yothu Yindi, they had just played a concert for Prime Minister
Kevin RuddKevin Michael Rudd is the 26th and current Prime Minister of Australia and federal leader of the centre-left Australian Labor Party . Under Rudd's leadership, the Labor Party won the 2007 federal election on 24 November against the incumbent centre-right Liberal/National coalition government led...
some hours before the stabbing of the woman, who was admitted to hospital, and Nicky's subsequent death.
Members
Arranged alphabetically:
- Andrew Bellety — drums
A drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
- Hughie Benjamin — drums
- Jodie Cockatoo Creed — vocals
- Sophie Garrkali — dancer
- Natalie Gillespie — vocals
- Julie Gungunbuy — dancer
- Ben Hakalitz — drums
- Stuart Kellaway — bass guitar
The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
- Banula Marika — vocals, dance
- Bunimburr Marika — yidaki (didgeridoo
The digeridoo is a wind instrument developed by Indigenous Australians of northern Australia at least 1,500 years ago and is still in widespread usage today both in Australia and around the world. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or "drone pipe". Musicologists classify it as...
)
- Witiyana Marika — manikay (traditional vocals), bilma (ironwood clapstick
Clapsticks or clappers are a type of drumstick or percussion mallet that are used to serve the purpose of maintaining rhythm. Unlike drumsticks, which are generally used to strike a drum, clapsticks are intended for striking one stick on another....
s), dancer
- Milkayngu Mununggurr — yidaki
- Tom Neil — harmonica
The harmonica is a free reed wind instrument which is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes. The pressure caused by blowing or drawing air into the reed chambers causes a reed or multiple reeds to vibrate up and down creating sound...
/triangle player
- Baruka Tau-Matagu — keyboards
A keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include various types of organs as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
- Cal Williams — guitar
The guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that adapts readily to a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The size and shape of the neck and the base of the guitar...
- Bart Willoughby — drums
- Galarrwuy Yunupingu
Galarrwuy YunupinguAM is a leader in the Australian Indigenous community, and has been involved in the fight for Land Rights throughout his career...
— vocals, bilma, guitar
- Gapanbulu Yunupingu — yidaki
- Gavin Makuma Yunupingu — yidaki, bilma, vocals
- Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is an Indigenous Australian musician, who sings in the Yolngu language.He was born on Elcho Island, off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Australia about 350 miles from Darwin. He is from the Gumatj clan of the Yolngu and his mother from the Galpu nation....
— keyboards, guitar, percussion, yidaki, vocals
- Mandawuy Yunupingu
Mandawuy Yunupingu , born 17 September 1956, is an Aboriginal Australian musician, most notable for being the front man of the band Yothu Yindi.-Early life:...
— singer-songwriterA singer–songwriter is a musician who writes, composes and sings their own material including lyrics and melodies. They often provide the sole accompaniment to an entire composition or song, typically using a guitar or piano...
, guitar
- Mangatjay Yunupingu — dancer
- Narripapa Nicky Yunupingu — yidaki, dancer (d. 23 July 2008)
Awards
- 1991 - Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
The Australian Human Rights Commission is a national independent statutory body of the Australian Government. It has the responsibility for investigating alleged infringements under Australia’s anti-discrimination legislation...
Songwriting Award for "Treaty".
Discography
Albums
- Homeland Movement
Homeland Movement is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1989 on the Mushroom Records label.-Track listing:* "Mainstream" * "Yolngu Woman" * "Homeland Movement" * "Djapana"...
(1988)
- Tribal Voice
-Track listing:#"Gapu" #"Treaty" #"Djäpana"...
(1991)
- Freedom
Freedom is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1993 under the Mushroom Records label.-Track listing:#"Timeless Land" #"World of Innocence"...
(1993)
- Birrkuta - Wild Honey
Birrkuta - Wild Honey is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1996 under the Yothu Yindi Music record label.-Track listing:#"Tears for Law" #"Yolngu Woman"...
(1996)
- One Blood
One Blood is an album by Yothu Yindi that was released in 1999 under the Yothu Yindi Music label.-Track listing:# "Laykarrambu" # "One Blood"...
(1998)
- Garma (2000)
External links