[33] He released his third studio album, The Gospel Album, on 31 July 2015. Beautifully narrated by his Aunty,Susan Dhangal Gurruwiwi, we learn that Yunupingu was considered to be a messenger between the Balanda (white) world and Yolngu worlds, that the singer was Djarimirri Child of the Rainbow, and his destiny was to illuminate the divide between his own culture and the modern world. Both men feigned concern about the social plight of the majority of Aborigines and voiced platitudes about Gurrumuls music and indigenous disadvantage. These ritualistic proclamations are thoroughly disingenuous. His second album, Rrakala (2011), made some small inroads into the American market, a notoriously difficult proposition. "We held it for a year," Hohnen confirms. A mixture of traditional songs and new compositions, they reflect his background growing up in one of the most remote but beautiful parts of the continent. How to Choose the Right Guitar String Gauges? Gurrumul documentary to debut at Berlin film festival watch the trailer. "Our hope for this film is that the people depicted within it, upon watching it, are filled with pride. Filming behind the scenes on Elcho Island (Supplied), New documentary Gurrumul gives an insight in to the humorous and cheeky side of the acutely shy singer, Gurrumul with Skinnyfish music producer and good friend, Michael Hohnen (Supplied). [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. "It was like he was becoming a shadow of his former self," Hohnen recalls. "But it's hard when someone's as famous as this. "Bayini" by Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (Rrawun D Maymuru), Michael Hohnen and Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu for, Ted Howard, Robin Mai & Matthew Cunliffe for, Helpmann Award for Best Australian Contemporary Concert, "Gathu Mawula" (featuring Blue King Brown), Label: Dramatico / Skinnyfish Music (0063), Label: Universal / Skinnyfish Music (3764720), Formats: CD, LP, CD + DVD, streaming, digital download, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 01:35. Grose publicly protested the hospital delays. "I believe he chose to not go on dialysis, to not stay on it. Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program. 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. Its a really bad business model in lots of ways, but you have to give in to that world. Its an observation wryly made midway through a new documentary on the life and career of the late singer, a blind Gumatj man from Arnhem Land in Australias remote north.One of the most famous Indigenous performers in modern Australian history, he left much behind when he died last year musically, personally and culturally. Source: Supplied. 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. It also jumped to No. 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). It wasn't just Jones Sting, Elton John and Australian musicians Peter Garrett and Paul Kelly all count themselves among the singer's admirers. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, 38, from Elcho Island in Arnhem Land, northern Australia, has been hailed as one of the brightest talents ever to emerge from the countrys indigenous population, with his debut solo album reaching number one in the countrys independent music charts and his recent concerts selling out. How did gurrumul go blind? Gurrumul Yunupingu in a still from the documentary about his life by Paul Williams. The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. [35], Yunupingu died at the Royal Darwin Hospital, Northern Territory, at about 5:00pm on 25 July 2017, aged 46. Royalties from Djarimirri will flow, in part, into the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation, which has a vision statement that speaks of creating "greater opportunities for remote Indigenous young people to realise their full potential and contribute to culturally vibrant and sustainable communities". Below the thick overhang of eyebrows, Gurrumul's eyes are concealed in shadow. Born blind, the gifted musician leads a traditional lifestyle on Elcho Island in Arnhem Land and sings in his native Yolngu language, but his fame is spreading the world. It is one of the strongest examples of the worlds oldest continuous culture, and Gurrumul, a Yunupingu from the Gumatj clan, held increasingly important responsibilities. With a voice that captured the heart of millions across the world, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was an enigmatic talent. Gurrumuls death at such an early age is another tragic confirmation of the huge social gapin health as well as employment, education, housing and other basic indicesbetween indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. There are public aspects of Gurrumuls short life that arent explored by the documentary his long-running health issues, and the high levels of poverty in remote Indigenous communities such as Galiwinku. Remote indigenous patients are often traumatised or sink into depression as a result of the illness and the distances they must travel away from their families to receive treatment. "There's anger, abuse, there's hurt, there are quite sinister ways, destructive ways. ", The Gospel Album (2015).Credit:Courtesy of ABC. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Its beyond homesickness, Hohnen tells a promoter in explanation. Yunupingu speaks only a few words of English, and is said to be acutely shy. In October 2015, the album won Gurrumul's third ARIA Award for Best World Music Album. "The audience requiresa lot of information to make sense of Gurrumuls musical rise because it emerged from a culture thatsso different to that of most people watching the film," Filmmaker Williams says. "Michael had this concept of combining the more traditional songs and chanting and yidaki patterns, with this kind of contemporary minimalist orchestral tradition," explains Erkki Veltheim, the Melbourne-based composer and violinist who arranged the album. Tired of touring and its associated pressures, Gurrumul left Yothu Yindi, formed the Saltwater Band in 1996 but eventually decided to go solo, releasing his first album in 2008. By his mid-teens he had joined Indigenous rock group Yothu Yindi and a little while later Hohnen convinced him to pursue a solo career. By the time Skinnyfish came to release the eponymous Gurrumul in 2008, a year before Saltwater's final album, the man and his music were match fit. 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 was born blind. For other uses, see, Posthumous releases and recognition (2018present). The cover of Gurrumuls eponymous studio album (2008). It was nominated for Australian Independent Record Labels Association and ARIA awards. Hohnen, a classically trained bass player and co-founder of Skinnyfish Music, was among the first to recognise the unique qualities of Gurrumuls voice. Gurrumul was raised on Elcho Island, off the coast of North East Arnhem Land, as a member of the Gumatj clan. Thank you for registering! . He had no use for picks, instead he simply kept his fingernails long. 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. And, for me, his legacy was opening people's hearts to one of the greatest assets of this country.". The documentary opens with one of Gurrumuls earliest and only media interviews, a filmed sit-down with the ABCs flagship current affairs show. But the European tour is a success and they sign with a US promoter, promising unlimited opportunities. His fragile but uniquely emotive high tenor voice and aura-like persona elicit feelings of peace and longing in listeners. [8] On his death he was described as an important figure in fostering racial harmony and as a voice of Indigenous Australians. But the basic incompatibility of this shy, private man with the hype and spotlight of the music industry were . "It transcends cultural barriers, because music is an international language. as well as on it. Many examples of Gurrumuls remarkable work are available on YouTube. Gurrumuls health worsened at the end of 2015 after a long-delayed US tour. [8] As of 2020, it is estimated that Yunupingu has sold half a million records globally. Light appears to catch on his protruding bottom lip. The Most Beautiful Song Ever Written (Australian Aboriginal), This song is called Wiyathul and its by a blind aboriginal man called Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. [32] "Bayini" became the first track by an indigenous musician to reach the top five of the Australian charts. It debuted at number 3 on the ARIA Charts. Were working to restore it. "One world is Balanda, the other world is Yolngu," as Gurrumul describes it. 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 . This was the final okay from Gurrumul, who as a co-producer had been involved in most aspects of the film. The extraordinary song was inspired by the cries of native bush fowls. He gave his approval for the final version just three days before he died. Original track "Take Me Home". Gurrumul shot to prominence in 2008 with the release of his debut album Gurrumul, which was nominated for four ARIAs and won two. We Yolngu live by our own unique balance of life,culture and land and we care for our country and our people.. Blind from birth, the proud Yolngu man spoke through his music. "But I now feel like we did everything possible to live up to the standards that he and his family expected of us. While Gurrumul never made a public comment or any overt references in his songs to the decades of social neglect and repression of Australias indigenous population, his songs and compelling voice gave forceful and poignant expression not just to the decades of suffering but a powerful longing for a better life. The award commenced in 2005. "Michael then said to me, 'Was that a bit strange? His musical success as a member of Yothu Yindi, Saltwater Band and then as a solo artist, is a source of great pride in Elcho Island. He was one of only two Australian performers at the Queens Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace. Aged only 46, he'd succumbed to organ failure relating to the hepatitis B he'd contracted in childhood. I made sure to read the lyrics and understand the meaning of each song. SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands and waterways throughout Australia. Aged only 46, he'd succumbed to organ failure relating to the hepatitis B he'd contracted in childhood. Yunupingu, who has never learned Braille and does not have a guide dog or use a stick, has told interviewers he has little use for money. International Committee of the Fourth International, The Aboriginal intervention in Australia: Four years on, Gurrumul: an evocative and unique musical contribution. He found purpose and meaning through songs inspired by his community and country in North East Arnhem Land. [63] Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu Born Blind Aboriginal Singer, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Gurrumul_Yunupingu, http://www.thearchibaldprize.com.au/winners/archibald, http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/jul/17/australia.culture. Iain Shedden, music critic of The Australian newspaper, said there was an incredible aura around Yunupingu, while another music critic, Lou Novachek, described his voice as sublime. , carries the legacy of this celebrated and important voice, and offers a rare insight into the life of the shy musician beyond the stage and the spotlight. To read more from Good Weekend magazine, visit our page at The Sydney Morning Herald or The Age. ominis gaunt why is he blind. He was born on Elcho Island, off the coast of Arnhem Land, Northern Australia about 350 miles from Darwin. When Gurrumul died, the record label pressed pause, in part because in Yolngu culture, when a person dies, their name, image and any music or art is retired for some time. They commenced in 2005. There is no cure for kidney failure. The album debuted at #1 on the ARIA charts, won multiple ARIA awards and the Australian Music Prize. The Gurrumul Story is the first compilation album from Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. His cheeks are full and prominent. The intervention tore up the democratic rights of Aborigines in the territory, quarantined social welfare and pensions, seized indigenous land and imposed repressive controls on indigenous communities. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Aboriginal singer beats poverty and prejudice to top Australian charts. Maestri worked on the painting for a month, listening to Gurrumul's music as he built up the image layer upon layer. Gurrumul rarely said anything during his concerts and gave no interviews. ", His niece, Miriam Yirrininba Dhurrkay, says Gurrumul's life and music are still inspiring Yolngu people. Although his solo career brought him wider acclaim, he was also formerly a member of Yothu Yindi and later of Saltwater Band. He has had solo exhibitions at the Tim Olsen Gallery and was a finalist in the 2007 and 2008 Dobell Drawing Prize. Interviews and feature reports from NITV. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). The breakup of indigenous communities continued and the regressive attacks on social welfare recipients used in the Northern Territory were expanded to selected non-indigenous communities across Australia (see: The Aboriginal intervention in Australia: Four years on). did he go blind from his family torturing him or was he born that way i don't remember if they expanded on it or not. The money he made was largely shared with his family, following the Aboriginal tradition of sharing wealth. This was deliberate, Hohnen says. In July last year, filmmaker Paul Williams, sound engineer Pip Atherstone-Reid and Michael Hohnen, creative director of Darwin record label Skinnyfish Music, were in an editing room at Windmill studios in Collingwood, Melbourne. Blind from birth, the proud Yolngu man spoke through his music. With Manuel Dhurrkay he also fronted Saltwater Band, the group putting out three records in a decade from 1999. 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. He recently won two coveted ARIA Awards among others and was named NT Australian of the Year for 2008. Short curly black hair frames his head. I was introduced to Gurrumul by Michael Hohnen, his bass player, record producer and close friend, who explained to him about the Archibald and why I wanted to paint him. Maestri did lots of sketches and studied Gurrumuls face intently. As of 2020, it is estimated that Yunupingu has sold half a million records globally. [24] 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)". That was the key. [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. [17] Gurrumul peaked at No. Gurrumul was born and raised in Galiwinku, a small community of about 2,200 people on remote Elcho Island, which is about 560 kilometres, or a two-hour flight, northeast of Darwin, the Northern Territory capital. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The painting itself is one hundred ninety-eight centimetres by hundred and sixty seven centimetres. Please try again later. Earnings from his music sales went to his parentsDaisy Gurruwiwi and Terry Yunupinguand their extended family, his daughter Jasmine and her mother, and were also used to establish a charitable foundation for indigenous youth. In fact, the documentary is the closest any journalism has come to explaining the challenge of living in two cultures which both demanded so much from Gurrumul. Gurrumul is the highest-selling Indigenous musician in Australian history.