Mandawuy Yunupingu

Mandawuy Yunupingu
Born	September 17, 1956 (1956-09-17) (age 55)
Origin	Yirrkala, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
Genres	Aboriginal rock
Occupations	Musician, school principal
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1986 -

Mandawuy Yunupingu (formerly Tom Djambayang Bakamana Yunupingu, skin name Gudjuk), born 17 September 1956, is an Aboriginal Australian musician, most notable for being the front man of the band Yothu Yindi.

Early life

He was born in Yirrkala in Arnhem Land, an Aboriginal Reserve in the northeastern part of the Northern Territory of Australia. He is a member of the Yolngu people. His father's name is Mangurrawut Yunupingu. His skin name was Gudjuk, which means hawk. His name was changed to Mandawuy when a family member with the same name died, in line with Yolngu custom. Yunupingu means "rock that stands against time".

He is the younger brother of Galarrwuy Yunupingu, a senior elder of Arnhem Land, who was Australian of the Year in 1978 and remains a force in Australian politics. One of his sisters is the artist Gulumbu Yunupingu.

Early career

Yunupingu was the first Aboriginal person from Arnhem Land to gain a university degree, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Deakin University in 1988. In 1989 he became assistant principal of the Yirrkala Community School. In 1990 he took over as principal of that school, becoming the first Aboriginal principal in Australia. He held this position until late 1991, leaving to pursue his career with Yothu Yindi.

Yothu Yindi

He co-founded the Aboriginal band Yothu Yindi in 1986. He is the lead singer and most prominent personality of the band, and he also plays guitar. The name Yothu Yindi means "child and mother". It refers to the kinship of north-east Arnhem Land.

The band is most famous for the song "Treaty", which reached number 1 on the Australian charts and stayed there for a total of 22 weeks. The song contains words from Gujamati, an indigenous language.

Yunupingu strives to achieve a better understanding of Aboriginal culture by balanda (non-Aboriginal people), and is a prominent advocate of reconciliation between white and Aboriginal Australians.

Awards

On 26 January 1993, Yunupingu was named Australian of the Year for 1992^[1] by the National Australia Day Council. In April 1998 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Queensland University of Technology, "in recognition of his significant contribution to the education of Aboriginal children, and to greater understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians."

Declining health

Yunupingu has suffered from chronic alcoholism, which in turn has contributed to advanced renal failure. He now receives haemodialysis three times a week in Darwin.^[2]

He has also participated in traditional healing practices. His sister Gulumbu is one of a group of senior Yolngu women who have set up a healing place with the support of the Yothu Yindi Foundation. Yunupingu has been one of its first patients.

Personal life

He is married to fellow teacher Yalmay. He is a father of five daughters and has five grandsons.

His nephew Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu played in Yothu Yindi, and has also embarked on a solo career.

Quotes

• "I am Mandawuy Yunupingu. I am a crocodile man. I am also the song writer and lead singer with the band Yothu Yindi. My name Yunupingu means a rock, a rock that stands against time. Fire is my clan symbol. Fire is my life force."^[3]

• "Racism is a disease in society. We're all equal. I don't care what their colour is, or religion. Just as long as they're human beings they're my buddies."

• "Australia will become a model for other global communities ... I see Australians coming together from all walks of life, especially indigenous and non-indigenous Australia, for a better tomorrow. We need to lock into one-another's point of view."

• "We must connect with old people, we need to tap into their wisdom. The hearts of Aboriginal women are crying for their culture."

References

1. ^ Lewis, Wendy (2010). Australians of the Year. Pier 9 Press. ISBN 9781741968095. 
2. ^ "Drink puts Yothu Yindi star Mandawuy Yunupingu on the brink". The Sunday Telegraph. 18 October 2009. http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,28383,26223547-10388,00.html. 
3. ^ http://www.yothuyindi.com/thebandinfo.html

External links

• Yothu Yindi Official Site

Awards
Preceded by Archbishop Peter Hollingworth	Australian of the Year Award 1992	Succeeded by Ian Kiernan

Persondata
Name	Yunupingu, Mandawuy
Alternative names
Short description	Australian guitarist
Date of birth	17 September 1956
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death