The exact details of Gurrumuls death are not clear, but according to press reports he had indicated that he did not want to continue with his difficult and debilitating dialysis treatment. [26] In 2009 a portrait of Yunupingu by Guy Maestri won Australia's major art prize, the Archibald Prize. 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. His second album Rrakala (2011), hit Platinum and continued the stream of adoration for Gurrumul, with Rolling Stone magazine declaring him Australias Most Important Voice (Rolling Stone, April 2011). In 2008, Gurrumul first gained international attention when his self-titled first solo album debuted at #1 on the independent music charts and peaked at #3 on the ARIA charts. Blind from birth, the proud Yolngu man spoke through his music. He was the most commercially successful Aboriginal Australian musician at the time of his death. 1 on the iTunes Australia roots music chart in April 2008. Aged only 46, he'd succumbed to organ failure relating to the hepatitis B he'd contracted in childhood. "[21], In 2008 Yunupingu was nominated for four ARIA Awards,[22] winning the awards for Best World Music Album[23] and Best Independent Release. Lighthearted yarn on all things NBA and NBL, Join Narelda Jacobs and John Paul Janke to get unique Indigenous perspectives and cutting-edge analysis of the biggest stories of the week. I knew if we could capture that spirit across a whole record, there would be something really special, Hohnen told the Guardian in April 2016. It also jumped to No. "Gurrumul had hundreds of songs in his head," says Hohnen. TheCompanion is available to buy online and in the Portrait Gallery Store. "But I now feel like we did everything possible to live up to the standards that he and his family expected of us. Gurrumul was raised on Elcho Island, off the coast of North East Arnhem Land, as a member of the Gumatj clan. 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. I made sure to read the lyrics and understand the meaning of each song. He just wants to play music.. He just says its his role to tell these stories about his culture.. Cut off at the forehead, his peaked hairline just appears that the top. He hates the exposure and the attention. "We wanted to release the album while he was alive so he could live it out on the airwaves around his, community and further afield," says Hohnen. National Endowment for the Arts. His cheeks are full and prominent. Yunupingus doctor Paul Lawton told a press conference that the singer was a victim of incompetence or racial profiling. The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency, The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. Completed early in 2017, the album was slated for release in the middle of last year. "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. An oversized NT flag is draped over a shelf and a couple of swags are thrown on top of a storage cupboard, ready for the next trip to the outback. 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 is also said to be very shy, and does not normally speak during performances. One baroque-style track has overlapping melodies that mirror the communal expression of Yolngu ceremonial songs. Asked to comment, Northern Territory Health Minister John Elferink arrogantly dismissed the accusation, rejected calls for an investigation and then provocatively accused Skinnyfish Music of staging a publicity stunt to promote a new album by the singer. It wasn't just Jones Sting, Elton John and Australian musicians Peter Garrett and Paul Kelly all count themselves among the singer's admirers. They all play it. "It was a strange way to sign off a conversation," he says. There is no cure for kidney failure. [36] A documentary film titled Gurrumul was also released, which Luke Buckmaster reviewed, stating that "For Gurrumul fans, the film is obviously a must-see. But initially, Djarimirri isn't an easy listen. The purity of the singer's voice tops it off. He was born blind, has never learned Braille and does not have a guide dog or use a white cane. Gurrumul was no stranger to orchestral work, having released a live album in 2013 with the Sydney Symphony. "This album is an orchestral piece, so it's sheet music. The world wants to know more about him. 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. Gurrumul would go on to perform for Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth II, among others. He arranged a hasty sitting with the musician at Sydney airport soon after, taking several sketches and a photograph. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. We used to think Gurrumul wouldnt go far, would never show his independence, says Yunupingu. Rejecting the life-style and accoutrements usually associated with successful recording artists, he continued living on Elcho Island. Sir Elton John, Sting and Bjrk are among his fans. For once, the Balanda world is struggling with its incorporation into Yolngu, rather than the other way round. Gurrumul shot to prominence in 2008 with the release of his debut album Gurrumul, which was nominated for four ARIAs and won two. "He wasn't writing a lot of new, contemporary style songs but he probably knew 400 or 500 songs, traditionally.". 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. Critics . The studio is a converted garage, littered with the signs of the musical and cultural worlds it works in. Born blind, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was the lead singer of the Saltwater Band and the keyboard player and guitarist of Yothu Yindi. Most of the young people I know, they want to continue his legacy, they want to show the world that they can do it. "" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. A multi-instrumentalist, he played drums, keyboards, guitar (a right-hand-strung guitar played left-handed) and didgeridoo, but it was the clarity of his singing voice that attracted rave . That was the key. When telling of the life of Gurrumul, his culture and community was a hugely important aspect of the film. He found purpose and meaning through songs inspired by his community and country in North East Arnhem Land. **Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this content contains images of people who have died. 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. It could be read by a conductor or composer in Germany and they'd understand it. And hes making it new. 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. As Gurrumul lives an exciting life as a successful musician, performing for people like Barack Obama and even Queen Elizabeth II, he also experiencesintense homesickness and the need to continue to learn and immerse himself in his family and traditional life. Gurrumul's face centrally occupies the frame, leaving minimal room for background detail, indistinct light grey brushstrokes behind his neck and face. "One world is Balanda, the other world is Yolngu," as Gurrumul describes it. In November 2008, he was named Best New Independent Artist, and his album, Gurrumul, Best Independent Album and Best Australian Independent Blues/Roots Album at the Jagermeister AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association ) Awards held at Melbournes Corner Hotel. By subscribing, you agree to SBSs terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS. It also paints a portrait of the close relationship between the artist and Hohnen. Yesterday, a posthumous album was added to his canon. For his part, Gurrumul didnt want to miss learning dhawu the traditional stories that hes expected to care for. We see a man as he traverses two "different worlds". ", The cover of Gurrumuls eponymous studio album (2008).Credit:Courtesy of ABC. Please check your spam folder for the email, if it does not arrive, click this link Emails will be sent by or on behalf of Universal Music Group 2220 Colorado, Sign up to receive email updates and offers from Gurrumul. Blind from birth, the proud Yolngu man spoke through his music. We have an encyclopedia of stories ready to tell people, if they want to listen. Directed by Paul Williams, Gurrumul's uncle, Djunga Djunga Yunupingu, and aunt, Gurruwiwi are the only narrators of the film, but it also features his parents and friends. His condition had worsened in recent years, to the extent that Skinnyfish had retired the singer from touring in late 2015. With his extraordinary voice and hauntingly beautiful album, Gurrumul, Indigenous singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu has become something of a cultural phenomenon over the last year. Blind from birth, the proud Yolngu man spoke through his music. 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. Gurrumul sang about Gumatj stories in Yolngu, but his song 'Gurrumul History' was in English, to spread his story. Geoffrey Gurrumul, at only 46-years-old, tragically passed away after a long battle with illness. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. The National Indigenous Music Awards recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians from throughout Australia. "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. If music and guitar has never been part of your interests then this site may change your view and be a music lover. So by the time he was Gurrumul, he was ready.". He also forged a successful solo career. The recording is as much a representation of all Yolngu. These glands have tiny openings to release oils onto the surface of the cornea. Gurrumul shot to prominence in 2008 with the release of his debut album Gurrumul, which was nominated for four ARIAs and won two. He is making it easier for the world to understand. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified. Gurrumul was a self-taught instrumentalist, playing guitar, piano, drums, and didgeridoo. [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. It then unexpectedly reached No. Dr G Yunupingu (1970-2017), a man of the Gumatj clan of north-east Arnhem Land, learned to play guitar, keyboard, drums and didgeridoo as a child. The wall above a shelf of Skinnyfish CDs is lined with art from the Tiwi Islands and a portrait of Gurrumul. Formerly a member of Yothu Yindi and Saltwater Band, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, who was blind from birth and passed away last year at age 46, released his first solo album in 2008. Instead of his usual "see you later", Gurrumul ended the call by saying goodbye, which he'd not done before. Hohnen said his friend was different to other Aboriginal singers because he has no political agenda. 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. A gifted Aboriginal singer who was born blind and brought up in poverty has taken Australia by storm, topping the mainstream music charts and earning plaudits for his sublime voice. 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. [17] Gurrumul peaked at No. If he can do it, why can't we do it, you know?". "It was like he was becoming a shadow of his former self," Hohnen recalls. Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. 1 in the mainstream iTunes charts.Gurrumul peaked at #4 on the ARIA Charts. The portrait won the Archibald Prize for 2009. It was an album four years in the making and was completed by producer and arranger Michael Hohnen. [41][42], The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. Its a really bad business model in lots of ways, but you have to give in to that world. He performed with Yothu Yindi from 1985 to 1992, when he formed the Saltwater Band. The very nature of these traditional songs and the yidaki patterns do have a lot of repetition in them, but also a lot of variation within that repetition, which combines really well with the small orchestra.". Sorry, this video has expired Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was born blind in 1971 as a member of the Gumatj clan and a speaker of the indigenous Yolu . [55], The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. What made this situation unusual, though, was how it finished up. The Most Beautiful Song Ever Written (Australian Aboriginal), This song is called Wiyathul and its by a blind aboriginal man called Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. abbreviation. I always said he balanced the two worlds better than most people. This was the final okay from Gurrumul, who as a co-producer had been involved in most aspects of the film. "[That] was a real challenge, but also a great pleasure to come up with these arrangements," he recalls. In a cover article Rolling Stone called him 'Australia's most important voice'. [30][8] In 2012, Yunupingu was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Sydney. were a close unit, Gurrumul: a man with a strong sense of humour, deep ties to his homelands and little taste for the limelight. His first album as an acoustic artist, Gurrumul, was released in Australia in 2008 and went double platinum. Many examples of Gurrumuls remarkable work are available on YouTube. being brought to life through the fusion of Gurrumul's voice and guidance in traditional song being fused with the work ofcomposer Erkki Veltheim and the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Sydney Symphony Orchestra. In 2009 a portrait of Gurrumul by Guy Maestri won Australias major art prize, The Archibald Prize. Gurrumul has won 9 awards from 21 nominations.[59]. Herein, how did gurrumul go blind? 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. He cant be found and the tour collapses. He had no use for picks, instead he simply kept his fingernails long. In 2009, he was named Best New Independent Artist and the album won both Best Independent Release and Best Independent Blues/Roots Release at the Australian Independent Record (AIR) Awards. 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. The Most Beautiful Song Ever Written (Australian Aboriginal) This song is called Wiyathul and its by a blind aboriginal man called Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. With a voice that captured the heart of millions across the world, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was an enigmatic talent. The whole process became quite an emotional experience.. 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. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu's legacy: why his music didn't stop. You get it when theres a problem with a few dozen tiny glands in your eyelids that help make the oil layer of your tears. The album was announced on 6 August 2021 and was released on 10 September 2021 on digital platforms, CD, deluxe CD+DVD and vinyl. With a voice that captured the heart of millions across the world, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was an enigmatic talent. Elton John, Sting and Bjrk were among his fans. We underestimated him.. And when hes invited to sing a duet with Sting on a French TV show, it nearly ends in disaster. [8], In 2013, Yunupingu joined Delta Goodrem for a special performance of "Bayini" on The Voice Australia. They commenced in 2005. The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bengali: ), or BELA (), is a nonprofit legal organization established in 1992 to assist efforts to protect the environment. He sang . With a voice that captured the heart of millions across the world, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was an enigmatic talent. Your email address will not be published. Born blind, the Indigenous Australian singer/songwriter Gurrumul grew up as a member of the Gumatj clan on Elcho Island, off the coast of tropical North East Arnhem land in Australias Northern Territory. The contrast of light and darkened eyes imbues the portrait with mystery.His nostrils are round against the broad space between his nose and slender upper lip. '," Williams remembers. The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. 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. [32] "Bayini" became the first track by an indigenous musician to reach the top five of the Australian charts. This technology is used to diagnose gland dysfunction (MGD), which indicates an abnormality or blockage of the glands. Audio description written by Meredith Hughes and voiced by Rory Walker, Guido Maestri I think thats the only way you move forward. Gurrumuls not an activist or a social commentator, said Hohnen. He died in July 2017 aged 46. Gurrumul (born Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu) was a Gumatj man from Galiwin'ku on Elcho Island in the Northern Territory. Skinnyfish lost a lot of money on that tour, but their relationship with the artist held and four years later, they were recording again. 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. Gift of the artist 2011. On multiple screens in front of them were edits of Williams's documentary, Gurrumul. It is difficult to adequately describe the complex and heart-rending qualities of Gurrumuls voice but his rendition of Wiyathul with the Errki String Quartet at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney in 2008 is an important example of its alluring character. Source: Supplied. In todays world where the media and the music industries are centred around hype and fashion, Gurrumul is a unique celebrity who has stood the test of time, one who could change the way you breathe (Brisbane Courier Mail, 2008) and forever altered the way people from around the world interact with Yolngu culture. Gurrumul first came to the worlds attention when his self-titled debut album Gurrumul was released to international acclaim in 2008. Nea definition National Education Association. Required fields are marked *. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (1970-2017), a Gumatj man from north-east Arnhem Land, was born blind but learned to play guitar, keyboard, drums and didgeridoo as a child. This was deliberate, Hohnen says. Veltheim started by listening to the recordings of songs Gurrumul had already made back on Elcho. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons. Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu (born 1970) is an indigenous Australian musician, who sings in the Yolngu language. abbreviation. The image is made with variously dense, watery and inconsistent brush strokes, creating a allayed three dimensional quality in rich tones of black and gray that construct a voluminous contemplative face. "At first I was trying to figure out how these different traditions could work together, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Guido Maestri. The oldest of four, he was born blind and never learned to read Braille. Our ProgramsFAQCurrent AppealsTerms & ConditionsPrivacy Policy, Established 2013A Company Limited by GuaranteeCharity ABN 25163166283Public Benevolent Institution (PBI)Endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR)Charity Street Address: L1 66 Smith St Darwin 0800. Please try again later. Aborigines in Australia remain a disadvantaged minority with high levels of ill-health, unemployment and poverty. All of the songs ended up in major keys, a coincidence which to Hohnen's mind gives it a happy vibe. Gurrumuls home community of Galiwinku and the surrounding Arnhem Land is Aboriginal territory and a deeply traditional place of multiple clans and tribes. "He was special in so many ways, in Western and Yolngu worlds," his niece, Miriam Yirrininba Dhurrkay, tells me. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. In Yolngu lore the name, image and voice of the recently deceased is retired from all public use. It ends with Gurrumul performing a new song at the Sydney Opera House. The post-pod life looks great on her! It says, in part, "The family have given permission that, following the final funeral ceremony (which occurred at Galiwin'ku on Elcho Island on November 24 last year), his name and image may once again be used publicly, to ensure that his legacy will continue to inspire both his people and Australians more broadly. The 12 songs that make up Djarimirri all relate to specific totems and aspects of Yolngu culture, including Waak (Crow), Ngarrpiya (Octopus), Gapu (Freshwater), Baru (Saltwater Crocodile), Marrayarr (Flag). GURRUMUL, a documentary. That killed me, near the end of the film, when his uncle says that he exceeded all our expectations.. Gurrumul was a founding member of the band Yothu Yindi. If interested in music and guitars, then you are in the right place and will learn a lot. It is made with oil on linen, surrounded by a simple two-centimetre-wide black frame. In 2008 Yunupingu was nominated for four ARIA awards, winning the awards for Best World Music Album and Best Independent Release. Gurrumul was raised on Elcho Island, off the coast of North East Arnhem Land, as a member of the Gumatj clan. 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. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Aboriginal singer beats poverty and prejudice to top Australian charts. He said it would be wrong to call the singer an overnight success since he had played for many years with the well-known Yothu Yindi band before forming his own Saltwater Band and then striking out on his own. The album is an ambitious project which continues Gurrumuls habit of marrying together the two worlds he lived in. 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. He was instrumental in persuading the singer to embark on a solo career and with the appropriate musical setting. Where Djarimirri is different, though, is in its minimalism; Hohnen cites the likes of Michael Nyman, Steve Reich, Arvo Prt and Philip Glass as influences. Original track "Take Me Home". Last Friday Shorten and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull attended the annual four-day Garma Festival in the Northern Territory and held hands with local residents in honour of Gurrumul. [8][9] Although his solo career brought him wider acclaim, he was also formerly a member of Yothu Yindi and later of Saltwater Band. The CD simply titled Gurrumul quickly achieved triple platinum sales status in Australia and sold half a million copies worldwide. Gurrumul Yunupingu 1971 2017 Born blind, his powerfully emotive yet fragile voice has affected the public unlike any other Australian artist. 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. This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Through the film we get a glimpse of just how special and integral the bond between Gurrumul and Hohnen was, with the latter often being known as the spokesperson for the acutely shy performer both on stage and in interviews. In less than a decade, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu became Australias biggest-selling Indigenous musician. Gurrumuls second studio album, Rrakala (2011).Credit:Courtesy of ABC. This song has been hailed by critics and millions over th. "Dialysis was not something that he enjoyed," Hohnen says. Blind from birth, the proud Yolngu man spoke through his music.