The Most Beautiful Song Ever Written (Australian Aboriginal) This song is called Wiyathul and its by a blind aboriginal man called Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. Toooften Aboriginal Australians feel their culture is hijacked by another agenda, a balanda (whitefella)agenda, and distorted beyond recognition. He found purpose and meaning through songs inspired by his community and country in North East Arnhem Land. The National Indigenous Music Awards recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians from throughout Australia. [18] The album was certified triple platinum. He died in July 2017 aged 46. We Yolngu live by our own unique balance of life,culture and land and we care for our country and our people.. [8], In 2015, Yunupingu toured the US. Briggs, who became friends with Gurrumul after their 2014 collaboration, agrees. Iconic Aboriginal singer-songwriter Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, whose haunting tenor voice and striking synthesis of indigenous song-cycles, Christian hymns and folk music won him wide international acclaim, died late last month at the Royal Darwin Hospital in Australias Northern Territory. Filmed over the course of ten years, the documentary feature by Paul Williams gives us a window into the rich and complex Yolngu culture and ceremonial life, a world that informed the singer's music and voice. 1 in the mainstream iTunes charts.Gurrumul peaked at #4 on the ARIA Charts. A year later he began to play a guitar; despite being a left-hander, he played a right-handed guitar, holding it upside down, which he would continue to do throughout his career. We have an encyclopedia of stories ready to tell people, if they want to listen. Gurrumul is the personification of a cross-over artist, likewise, the filmmust cross back and forth between his Yolngu and the broader whitefella worlds." Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. [13], In 1989, at the age of 18, Yunupingu joined Yothu Yindi as a multi-instrumentalist and backing vocalist, notably contributing to their 1991 album, Tribal Voice. Guido Maestri. were a close unit, Yunupingus songs are attracting people who do not normally listen to Aboriginal music and he received standing ovations after two recent performances at the Sydney Opera House. When asked what he would do with any money he makes, he suggested it will go to his mother and aunts, following the Aboriginal tradition of sharing wealth. As his spokesman and double-bass accompanist Michael Hohnen explained to journalists in 2013, Gurrumul hates the media. Hohnen, who was the singers guide and spokesman, talks to the Guardian in the Skinnyfish Music offices in suburban Darwin. We see a man as he traverses two "different worlds". working together On the other side his neck is cradled by layered fabric, and cut by the line of the cropped image. Michael Hohnen with Gurrumul, in a still from the documentary. Like every other federal Labor MP, both men supported the Liberal-National coalition governments Northern Territory intervention in mid-2007a reactionary social assault launched under the bogus pretext of protecting Aboriginal children from sexual abuse. It wasn't just Jones Sting, Elton John and Australian musicians Peter Garrett and Paul Kelly all count themselves among the singer's admirers. Source: Supplied. Gurrumul's collaborator and companion Michael Hohnen says Kylie Minogue introduced the blind singer to the Queen. We know it happens right around Australia We need to have that discussion about how we can improve care for indigenous Australians so they receive the same level of care as non-indigenous Australians, Lawton said. He plays drums, keyboards, guitar (a right hand-strung guitar left-handed) and didgeridoo, but it is the clarity of his singing voice that has attracted rave reviews. Gurrumul shot to prominence in 2008 with the release of his debut album Gurrumul, which was nominated for four ARIAs and won two. [38], In November 2020, Decca Records announced they had signed to the rights to Yunupingu's catalogue and future recordings, announcing forthcoming releases, including limited-edition vinyls, a box set and collaborations among a slate of projects. We try and work in a mainstream music industry but within their [Indigenous] system of how we relate to everyone, Hohnen tells Guardian Australia. "It's affected Mark and I very personally," he says, referring to his Skinnyfish Music co-founder, Mark Grose. When Gurrumul arrives home after long periods away from touring and recording, we see a great deal of affection upon his return. He cant be found and the tour collapses. 46years (19712017)Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu / Age at death. Honhen points out the cello mimicking rhythms of the yidaki, and says the Yolngu who came to the studio would immediately recognise and know the corresponding dance. Ted Gondarra, Elcho Island resident stated that the final wish for the film, which was given approval by Gurrumul only a few days before he passed away, was that it would be a source of continued pride for the community. He was blind from birth and contracted Hepatitis B at the age of three. [25], In November 2009, Yunupingu was named Best New Independent Artist and his album, Gurrumul, Best Independent Release and Best Independent Blues/Roots Release at the Australian Independent Record (AIR) Awards held at Melbourne's Corner Hotel. as well as on it. LipiScan is a non-invasive procedure that helps our doctors see and analyze the health of your Meibomian glands. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (22 January 1971 - 25 July 2017), commonly known as Gurrumul and also referred to since his death as Dr G. Yunupingu, was an Aboriginal Australian musician of the Yolu peoples. He followed this with two other successful studio albumsRrakala (2011) and The Gospel Album (2015)and two concert recordingsLive in Darwin, Australia (2010) and Gurrumul: His Life and Music with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (2013). In October 2015, the album won Gurrumul's third ARIA Award for Best World Music Album. Central to Gurrumul's career was Michael Hohnen, a musician and producer who established SkinnyFish Records and was the first to encourage the shy singer to step out from the Saltwater Band to develop his own unique style of playing and performing. His first album as an acoustic artist, Gurrumul, was released in Australia in 2008 and went double platinum. source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jul/17/australia.culture, Your email address will not be published. He recently won two coveted ARIA Awards among others and was named NT Australian of the Year for 2008. On multiple screens in front of them were edits of Williams's documentary, Gurrumul. Away from cameras and the stage, we are alsogiven a glimpse of the sense of humour and cheekiness that Gurrumul maintained throughout his life and career. He also won three Deadlys, winning for Artist of the Year, Album of the Year for Gurrumul and Single of the Year for Gurrumul History (I Was Born Blind). beyond the stage Although a few of his songs are written and sung in English, he does not speak the language. "But it's hard when someone's as famous as this. Blind from birth, the proud Yolngu man spoke through his music. Gurrumuls home community of Galiwinku and the surrounding Arnhem Land is Aboriginal territory and a deeply traditional place of multiple clans and tribes. His eponymous 2008 solo debut album was certified three times platinum in Australia, and made the top 20 in Belgium, Germany and Switzerland upon its European release. [8], In April 2018, Yunupingu's fourth studio album, Djarimirri (Child of the Rainbow), was released. Meibomianitis is inflammation of the meibomian glands, a group of oil-releasing (sebaceous) glands in the eyelids. His chin and neck fade into dark greys and blacks. They talk of their surprise and sorrow when they realised Gurrumul was blind, and their fears he would always have to stay close to home. And I think Yolngu don't want him forgotten, that's what they said to us. [8] His friend, spokesperson, and collaborator Michael Hohnen described his early musical experiences as follows: "Gurrumul was educated by immersion, cultural immersionfrom his aunties, parents and grandmothers, with love and lullabies; from his uncles, fathers and grandfathers through ceremony songs and storytelling, much of it through music. ominis gaunt why is he blind. About Geoffrey. The journey that we took with him was almost the opposite. The painting itself is one hundred ninety-eight centimetres by hundred and sixty seven centimetres. "There are different ways people can go about activism," Hohnen continues. Blind from birth, he played the guitar upside down with his left hand. 3 on the ARIA Charts. [5][8][15][16] His first solo album, Gurrumul, was released in 2008, debuting at No. I still think that., Gurrumul, the documentary, is released 25 April through Madman. For those unfamiliar, or vaguely familiar with his work, it's an even greater treat: they will be entertained, enthralled, perhaps in some small way changed. The depth of his music, his stage presence, combined with his captivating high tenor voice incited emotion, compassion and a feeling of peacefulness within Australian and international audiences alike. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (22 January 1971 25 July 2017), commonly known as Gurrumul and also referred to since his death as Dr G. Yunupingu,[note 1][5][6][7] was an Aboriginal Australian musician[8] of the Yolu peoples. He arranged a hasty sitting with the musician at Sydney airport soon after, taking several sketches and a photograph. He was best known as a singer. Aborigines in Australia remain a disadvantaged minority with high levels of ill-health, unemployment and poverty. "Yeah. That's remarkable for a man who was born blind, is extremely shy and doesn't speak much English. [17] Gurrumul peaked at No. But the basic incompatibility of this shy, private man with the hype and spotlight of the music industry were . The money he made was largely shared with his family, following the Aboriginal tradition of sharing wealth. For further information please contact NPG Copyright. Though affectionately calling each other "wwa", the Gumatj word for 'brother', we can see how their connection was more like family. It was a professional partnership which helped to bring Gurrumul's unique interpretation of the 'manikay' (the songlines of his people) to life. He found purpose and meaning through songs inspired by his community and country in North East Arnhem Land. He sings stories of his land in both languages (Glpu, Gumatj or Djambarrpuynu, all Yolu Matha) and English. There is no cultural or social context for Gurrumul to understand or translate Every Breath You Take into Yolngu Matha to say nothing of the glaring irony of asking him to sing the line Ill be watching you. "[37] The album won four ARIA Music Awards at the 2018 ceremony; his daughter Jasmin accepted the award for Best Male Artist on his behalf. "But I now feel like we did everything possible to live up to the standards that he and his family expected of us. He says the Queen remembered Gurrumul from their last meeting, saying: "Yes, I've met this man before." But Hohnen says Gurrumul was more excited at the chance to meet American music legend Stevie Wonder. Throughout his childhood, he was built, given or bought tin cans, sticks, toy keyboards, piano accordions, nylon string guitars, and, later, clap sticks (bilma) and didgeridoos (yidaki). It's not lost on anyone involved with the making of the record how sad it is that its main player won't be here to enjoy its launch. Him and Michael, they've delivered this gift of music. But I can play and sing and tell people things through my songs. In less than a decade, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu became Australias biggest-selling Indigenous musician. By subscribing, you agree to SBSs terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS. [29] In 2019, Double J's Dan Condon described it as one of "7 great performances from the history of the ARIA Awards. It is made with oil on linen, surrounded by a simple two-centimetre-wide black frame. International Committee of the Fourth International, The Aboriginal intervention in Australia: Four years on, Gurrumul: an evocative and unique musical contribution. For his part, Gurrumul didnt want to miss learning dhawu the traditional stories that hes expected to care for. Born blind, his powerfully emotive yet fragile voice has affected the public unlike any other Australian artist. The important thing was that, in every step of the process, we've made sure that we haven't done anything that doesn't communicate those songs.". Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu is a blind Aboriginal singer/songwriter and guitarist from the Gumatj clan of the Yolngu people of Australia's North East Arnhem Land. Gurrumul has performed for Her Majesty the Queen of England, US President Barack Obama, Prince Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton, and Crown Prince Frederik and Princess Mary of Denmark. The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia since 2001. Sydney Morning Herald reviewer Bruce Elder recalled the first time he heard the young singer. ago. Aborigines, for example, are 10 times more likely to contract kidney disease than Australias non-indigenous population, while in remote communities the figure is between 30 and 50 times the national average. While this rise might have seemed meteoric, Gurrumul paid his dues in a slow build that began with culture-bridging group Yothu Yindi in the late 1980s. Blind from birth and raised in the community of Galiwin'ku on Elcho Island, Gurrumul was brought up learning the stories and history of his people, through song and dance, the rhythms of life . With a voice that captured the heart of millions across the world, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was an enigmatic talent. "Dialysis was not something that he enjoyed," Hohnen says. [63] Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gurrumuls second studio album, Rrakala (2011). Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (born 1970) is an indigenous Australian musician, who sings in the Yolngu language. With a voice that captured the heart of millions across the world, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was an enigmatic talent. Yunupingu, who was born blind, has an ongoing liver condition due to contracting Hepatitis B from a young age, Skinny Fish Music managing director Mark Grose told the ABC. So by the time he was Gurrumul, he was ready.". [19][20] He did not generally give interviews, instead relying on Hohnen to speak for him, following a Yolu custom that dictated that Yunupingu's role was only to sing, while his elders spoke publicly. On Gurrumul's left between his hairline and ear lobe, a fine line of side burn arcs in unison with the extended line of his full, high cheekbone in contrast with his fleshy left ear behind it, the lines of which undulate and small irregular soft folds. Shot entirely while he was alive, Gurrumul unable to see was given an audio file of each edit to keep track of its progress and maintain control. In what has already made history by being the first album sung entirely in language to top the charts on it's release, we see the final musical masterpiece, the posthumously released. In a 2009 interview with him and Hohnen, Yunupingu said that he was generally shy but more comfortable playing music, and went on to say: "I don't have much to say to people when I talk. The cover of Gurrumul's posthumous album, Djarimirri (2018). These Yolngu songs, some thought to be more than 4000 years old, were traditionally backed by the yidaki wind instrument in repetitive rhythms, giving the lyrics a foundation on which to build. [32] "Bayini" became the first track by an indigenous musician to reach the top five of the Australian charts. He left the group in 1995 to live full-time on Elcho Island and later co-founded and co-led the Saltwater Band, which was active from 1999 to 2009. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. Five years in the making, it traces the life of Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, the Yolngu singer from Elcho Island, off the coast of Arnhem Land, who had taken Australian music by storm.
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