Galarrwuy Yunupingu

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Galarrwuy Yunupingu AM (born June 30, 1948 near Gunyangara , Arnhem Land , Northern Territory , Australia ) is an elder of the Gumatj , a clan of the Yolngu . He is an important Aboriginal politician in the Northern Territory who campaigned for Aboriginal land rights, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1990s he was a singer, songwriter and guitarist for the Aboriginal rock band Yothu Yindi . He is also a painter.

Life

Early life

Little is known about his early life. His father's name was Munggurrawuy Yunupingu and his mother's name was Makurrngu, both of whom were elder. In his early years, he and his father first heard about the plans to build a mine near Yirrkala on traditional Aboriginal land. He went to the Mission School in Yirrkala and then studied for two years in Brisbane at the Methodist Bible College .

Politician

His father had been fighting for the Yolgnu's land rights since the early 1960s in the dispute over the Gove bauxite mine , which had been built without consulting the traditional owners. His father painted, among others, the Yolngu Bark Petition , which was submitted bilingual in the Australian Parliament and received national and international attention. The Aborigines took their cause to court, where Galarrwuy Yunupingu acted as a court interpreter. Although the Aborigines were defeated, they were able to reach an agreement with the mining company to operate the mine. From 1975 Galarrwuy Yunupingu worked in the Northern Land Council and was chairman there from 1977 to 1980; In 1983 he became chairman again.

Honors

In 1978 it was recognized as the Australian of the Year . It recognized his work, which in 1976 led to an agreement with the operator of the Ranger uranium mine and the traditional landowners. In 1985 he was awarded the Order of Australia . Galarrwuy Yunupingu is one of 100 Australian Living National Treasures named by the National Trust of Australia as important and leading figures for Australian society.

Musician

In the 1990s he was a member of the Aboriginal rock band Yothu Yindi. In the band he was singer, guitarist and songwriter and was involved in the albums Tribal Voice (1992), Freedom (1993), Birrkuta (White Honey) (1996) and One Blood (1998).

Late life

In the late 1990s, he retired from political life. He began to rebuild a cattle station where he gave employment to 15 young Aborigines. In 2007 he came back as a politician and criticized John Howard's government for enacting laws that he believed to distinguish between races. Today (2013) he lives with Yirrkala and is active in several committees and organizations.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b discogs.com : Galarrwuy Yunupingu - Discography , in English, accessed June 16, 2013
  2. ↑ a b c themonthly.com.au : Galrrwuy Yunupingu: Tradition, Truth & Tomorrow , December 2008, in English, accessed on June 16, 2013
  3. ↑ a b australianoftheyear.org : Galarrwuy Yunupingu AM , in English, accessed June 16, 2013
  4. ↑ theage.com.au : Steve Waldon: Yunupingu returns to the fray, keen to get results, not symbols , October 27, 2007, in English, accessed June 16, 2013
  5. ^ The australian.com : Matthew Clayfield: Galarrwuy Yunupingu's radical voice for action , January 2, 2009, in English, accessed June 16, 2013
personal data
SURNAME Yunupingu, Galarrwuy
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Australian singer and guitarist in an Aboriginal rock band
DATE OF BIRTH June 30, 1948
PLACE OF BIRTH Gunyangara Gove Peninsula , Arnhem Land , Northern Territory , Australia