Yothu Yindi (

Yolngu The Yolngu or Yolŋu ( or ) are an aggregation of Aboriginal Australian people inhabiting north-eastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. ''Yolngu'' means "person" in the Yolŋu languages. The terms Murngin, Wulamba, Yalnuma ...

for "child and mother", pronounced , natively ) are an Australian musical group with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members, formed in 1986 as a merger of two bands formed in 1985 – a white rock group called the Swamp Jockeys (Todd Williams, Michael Wyatt, Cal Williams, Stuart Kellaway, Andrew Bellety), and an unnamed Aboriginal folk group consisting of

Mandawuy Yunupingu Mandawuy Djarrtjuntjun Yunupingu , formerly Tom Djambayang Bakamana Yunupingu, and also known as Dr Yunupingu (17 September 1956 – 2 June 2013), was a teacher and musician, and frontman of the Aboriginal rock group Yothu Yindi from 1986. He ...

Witiyana Marika Witiyana Marika is an Aboriginal Australian musician, filmmaker and elder, known for being a founding member of the band Yothu Yindi and producer of the film ''High Ground''. Early life and family Marika was born into the Rirratjingu clan of ...

, and Milkayngu Mununggur. The Aboriginal members came from Yolngu homelands near

Yirrkala Yirrkala is a small community in East Arnhem Region, Northern Territory, Australia, southeast of the large mining town of Nhulunbuy, on the Gove Peninsula in Arnhem Land. Its population comprises predominantly Aboriginal Australians of th ...

on the

Gove Peninsula The Gove Peninsula is at the northeastern corner of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. The peninsula became strategically important during World War II when a Royal Australian Air Force base was constructed at what is now Gov ...

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

Arnhem Land Arnhem Land is a historical region of the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located in the north-eastern corner of the territory and is around from the territorial capital, Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin. In 1623, Dutch East India Compa ...

. Founding members included Stuart Kellaway on

bass guitar The bass guitar (), also known as the electric bass guitar, electric bass, or simply the bass, is the lowest-pitched member of the guitar family. It is similar in appearance and construction to an Electric guitar, electric but with a longer nec ...

, Cal Williams on

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

, Andrew Belletty on

drum The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments. In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system, it is a membranophone. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a ...

s, Witiyana Marika on

manikay Indigenous music of Australia comprises the music of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia, intersecting with their cultural and ceremonial observances, through the millennia of their individual and collective historie ...

(traditional vocals),

bilma Bilma is an oasis town and commune in north east Niger with, as of the 2012 census, a total population of 4,016 people. It lies protected from the desert dunes under the Kaouar Cliffs and is the largest town along the Kaouar escarpment. It ...

(ironwood

clapstick Clapsticks, also spelt clap sticks and also known as , , clappers, musicstick or just stick, are a traditional Australian Aboriginal instrument. They serve to maintain rhythm in voice chants, often as part of an Aboriginal ceremony. They ar ...

s) and dance, Milkayngu Mununggurr on

yidaki The didgeridoo (;()), also spelt didjeridu, among other variants, is a wind instrument, played with vibrating lips to produce a continuous drone while using a special breathing technique called circular breathing. The didgeridoo was developed ...

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu 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 a Yolŋu Aboriginal Australian musician. A multi-instrumentalist, he played drums, keyboards ...

on keyboards, guitar, and

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a percussion mallet, beater including attached or enclosed beaters or Rattle (percussion beater), rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or ...

, past lead singer

and present Yirrnga Yunupingu on vocals and guitar. The band combines aspects of both musical cultures. Their sound varies from traditional Aboriginal songs to modern pop and rock songs, where they blended the typical instruments associated with pop/rock bands, such as guitars and drums, with the traditional yidaki (didgeridoo) and bilma (clap stick). They adapted traditional Yolngu dance performances to accompany their music. More broadly, they promoted mutual respect and understanding in the coming together of different cultures. Yothu Yindi's most widely known song, "

Treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by international law. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, convention ...

", peaked at No. 11 on the ARIA singles charts in 1991 and the related album ''

Tribal Voice ''Tribal Voice'' is the second studio album by Yothu Yindi, released in September 1991 on the Mushroom Records label. The album peaked at number 4 on the ARIA Charts and was certified 2× Platinum. At the 1992 ARIA Awards Yothu Yindi won Best ...

'' peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA albums charts. The group established the Yothu Yindi Foundation in 1990 to promote Yolngu cultural development, including from 1999 producing the annual

Garma Festival of Traditional Cultures The Garma Festival of Traditional Cultures (Garma) is Australia's largest Indigenous cultural gathering, taking place over four days each August in northeast Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory, Australia. Hosted by the Yothu Yindi Foundatio ...

and from May 2007 running the Dilthan Yolngunha (meaning "Healing Place"). Chairman of the foundation was

Galarrwuy Yunupingu Galarrwuy Yunupingu (30 June 1948 – 3 April 2023), also known as James Galarrwuy Yunupingu and Dr Yunupingu, was an Indigenous Australian activist who was a leader in the Aboriginal Australian community. He was involved in Indigenous land ...

. He was Mandawuy's older brother, a Yolngu clan leader and sometimes a member of Yothu Yindi on bilma and guitar. Galarrwuy had been named

Australian of the Year The Australian of the Year is a national award conferred on an Australian citizen by the National Australia Day Council, a not-for-profit Australian Government-owned social enterprise. Similar awards are also conferred at the state and territor ...

in 1978 for his work for Aboriginal communities and Mandawuy was

for 1992 for his work with Yothu Yindi. In December 2012, the

Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...

(ARIA) inducted the band into the

ARIA Hall of Fame Since 1988 the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has inducted artists into its annual ARIA Hall of Fame. While most have been recognised at the annual ARIA Music Awards, in 2005 ARIA sought to create a separate standalone ceremo ...

, as part of the

ARIA Music Awards of 2012 The 26th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) were a series of award ceremonies which included the 2012 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fin ...

. In 2023, the band were inducted into the

National Indigenous Music Awards The National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA), also known as the NT Indigenous Music Awards from 2004 to 2008, are music awards presented to recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians in ...

Hall of Fame.

Career

1986–1990: Early years

Swamp Jockeys were formed in 1985 by ''balanda'' (European/non-Aboriginal people) Todd Williams songwriter and lead singer, Michael Wyatt, songwriter and lead singer, Andrew Belletty on drums, Stuart Kellaway on bass guitar and Cal Williams on lead guitar. On their tour of

, in Australia's

, they were supported by a

band composed of Witiyana Marika on ''manikay'' (traditional vocals), ''bilma'' (ironwood

s) and dance, Milkayngu Mununggurr on ''yidaki'' (

didgeridoo The didgeridoo (;()), also spelt didjeridu, among other variants, is a wind instrument, played with vibrating lips to produce a continuous Drone (music), drone while using a special breathing technique called circular breathing. The didgerido ...

), Gurrumul 'The Guru' Yunupingu on keyboards, guitar and percussion, and Bakamana Yunupingu on vocals and guitar. They united to form Yothu Yindi (pronounced ). ''Yothu yindi'' is a Yolngu ''matha'' (Yolngu language) kinship term for "child and mother". The band combines aspects of both musical cultures. Their sound varies from traditional Aboriginal songs to modern pop and rock songs in which they blend the typical instruments of pop/rock bands, such as guitars and drums, with the traditional

and

. They have adapted traditional Yolngu dance performances to accompany their music. More broadly they promote mutual respect and understanding of different cultures. Michael Wyatt, from the Swamp Jockeys, went on to become Yothu Yindi's pilot and with Stephen Johnson made Yothu Yindi's multiple award winning music video clips. He was also stage manager on Australian tours and their tour to the New York's World Music festival. Bakamana Yunupingu was a tertiary student studying to become a teacher. He became principal at his own

Community School, and touring by Yothu Yindi was restricted to school holidays in the band's early years. In August 1988 they performed in

Townsville The City of Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 201,313 as of 2024, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland and Northern Australia (specifically, the parts of Australia north of ...

, Queensland, at the South Pacific Festival of Arts. The next month they represented Australia in

Seoul, South Korea Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

at the Cultural Olympics.

Bart Willoughby Bartholomew Edwin Willoughby (born 1960) is an Aboriginal Australian musician, noted for his pioneering fusion of reggae with Indigenous Australian musical influences, and for his contribution to growth of Indigenous music in Australia. A mul ...

(ex-

No Fixed Address In law, no fixed abode or without fixed abode is not having a fixed geographical location as a residence, commonly referred to as no fixed address. This is applicable to several groups: * People who have a home, but which is not always in the ...

, Coloured Stone) joined on drums in late 1988 and Yothu Yindi toured USA and Canada as support act to

Midnight Oil Midnight Oil (known informally as "The Oils") are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett (vocals, harmonica), Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie (guitar, keyboard) and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by H ...

. Upon their return to Australia, they were signed to

Mushroom Records Mushroom Records was an Australian flagship record label, founded in 1972 in Melbourne. It published and distributed many successful Australian artists and expanded internationally, until it was merged with Festival Records in 1998. Festival ...

, and with Leszek Karski (ex-Supercharge) producing, recorded their debut single "Mainstream", released in March 1989. It was followed by debut album ''

Homeland Movement ''Homeland Movement'' is the debut studio album by Australian rock band Yothu Yindi that was released in April 1989 on the Mushroom Records label. The album peaked at number 59 on the ARIA Chart in 1992. Background and release Following a to ...

'' in May; a second single " Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)" was released in August. Neither their singles nor album had any major chart success.Peaks of albums in Australia: The award-winning film clip was made by Michael Wyatt and Stephen Johnson of Burrundi Pictures.* All except noted: * ''Homeland Movement'', ''Birrkuta – Wild Honey'' and ''Garma'': Yothu Yindi toured with

Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, forming the folk rock group Buffalo Springfield. Since the begi ...

in Australia, then head-lined in Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong. In 1990 they toured New Zealand with

Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (born March 30, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter, widely known for her hit singles " Fast Car" (1988) and " Give Me One Reason" (1995). She was signed to Elektra Records by Bob Krasnow in 1987. The following year she rel ...

, and then performed in festivals in the UK. In 1990 five clans of the Yolngu formed the Yothu Yindi Foundation to promote Yulngu cultural development. Chairman of the foundation was Galarrwuy Yunupingu, Mandawuy's older brother, a Yolngu clan leader and sometimes a member of Yothu Yindi on ''bilma'' and guitar. Galarrwuy had been named

in 1978 for his work for Aboriginal communities. Around this time, a relative of Bakamana who bore the same name died, and he therefore changed his first name to Mandawuy, in line with Yolngu tradition. The band commissioned their friend and relative (married to Gurrumul's sister), master yiḏaki-maker

Djalu Gurruwiwi Djalu Gurruwiwi, written Djalu ( – 12 May 2022), was a Yolngu musician, artist, and leader from Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. He was globally recognised for his acquired skill as a player, maker, and spiritual keeper of ...

, to make their didgeridoos, which also brought his skills to the attention of the world.

1991–1992: "Treaty" and ''Tribal Voice''

In 1988, as part of

Bicentennial __NOTOC__ A bicentennial or bicentenary is the two-hundredth anniversary of a part, or the celebrations thereof. It may refer to: Europe * French Revolution bicentennial, commemorating the 200th anniversary of 14 July 1789 uprising, celebrated ...

celebrations, Australian Prime Minister

Bob Hawke Robert James Lee Hawke (9 December 1929 – 16 May 2019) was an Australian politician and trade unionist who served as the 23rd prime minister of Australia from 1983 to 1991. He held office as the Australian Labor Party, leader of the La ...

visited the Northern Territory for the Barunga festival where he was presented with a statement of Aboriginal political objectives by Galarrwuy Yunupingu and

Wenten Rubuntja Wenten Rubuntja Pengarte (1926 – July 2005) was an Aboriginal Australian artist and Arrernte man. His early watercolour paintings are typical of the Hermannsburg School of art, while his later work includes dot painting. He was also an Ab ...

. Hawke responded to the Barunga Statement with a promise that a treaty would be concluded with

Indigenous Australians Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...

by 1990. By 1991, Yothu Yindi were Hughie Benjamin on drums, Sophie Garrkali and Julie Gungunbuy as dancers, Kellaway, Marika, Mununggurr, Gurrumul Yunupingu, Makuma Yunupingu on ''yidaki'', vocals, ''bilma'', Mandawuy Yunupingu, Mangatjay Yunupingu as a dancer. Mandawuy, with his older brother Galarrwuy, wanted a song to highlight the lack of progress on the treaty between Aboriginal peoples and the federal government. Mandawuy recalls: "Treaty" was written by Australian musician Paul Kelly and Yothu Yindi members Mandawuy Yunupingu, Kellaway, Williams, Gurrumul Yunupingu, Mununggurr and Marika. The initial release had little interest, but when Melbourne-based dance remixers Filthy Lucre's Gavin Campbell and Robert Goodge adapted the song, their version peaked at No. 11 on the

(ARIA) singles

charts A chart (sometimes known as a graph) is a graphical representation for data visualization, in which "the data is represented by symbols, such as bars in a bar chart, lines in a line chart, or slices in a pie chart". A chart can represent t ...

by September. The song contains lyrics in both English and in Yolngu ''matha''. It was accompanied by a video showing band members performing vocals, music, and dance. Success for the single was transferred to the related album ''

'' which peaked at No. 4 on the ARIA albums charts, The album, produced by Mark Moffatt for Mushroom Records, was released in September 1991. Mandawuy Yunupingu took leave of absence from his duties as principal to tour and promote the single and album. Other singles from the album were a re-released " Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)" which peaked at No. 13 in 1992 and "

" which peaked at number 51. At the 1992

ARIA Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...

Yothu Yindi won awards for

ARIA Award for Best Cover Art The ARIA Music Award for Best Cover Art, is an award presented within the Artisan Awards at the annual ARIA Music Awards. The ARIA Awards recognise "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", and have been given by the Aus ...

for ''Tribal Voice'' by Louise Beach and Mushroom Art;

ARIA Award for Engineer of the Year The ARIA Music Award for Engineer of the Year, is an award presented within the Artisan Awards at the annual ARIA Music Awards. The ARIA Awards recognise "the many achievements of Australian artists across all music genres", and have been give ...

for "Maralitja" (''maralitja'' is Yolngu ''matha'' for crocodile man – one of Mandawuy's tribal names), "Dharpa" (''dharpa'' is tree), "Treaty", "Treaty (Filthy Lucre remix)" and "Tribal Voice" by David Price, Ted Howard, Greg Henderson and Simon Polinski;

ARIA Award for Best Indigenous Release In music, an aria (, ; : , ; ''arias'' in common usage; diminutive form: arietta, ; : ariette; in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompaniment, normally part of a larger ...

for ''Tribal Voice'';

ARIA Award for Song of the Year The ARIA Music Award for Single of the Year/Song of the Year, is an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards, which recognises "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It is handed out by the Austr ...

and Single of the Year for "Treaty. Both "Treaty" in 1992 and " Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)" in 1993 charted on the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

Hot Dance Club Play The Dance Club Songs (also known as National Disco Action, Hot Dance/Disco Club Play, and Hot Dance Club Play) was a chart published weekly between 1976 and 2020 by ''Billboard'' magazine. It used club disc jockeys set lists to determine the mos ...

singles charts, with "Treaty" peaking at No. 6, ''Tribal Voice'' peaked at No. 3 on the ''Billboard'' Top World Music Albums chart in 1992. In October 1992, then Prime Minister

Paul Keating Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944) is an Australian former politician and trade unionist who served as the 24th prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996. He held office as the leader of the Labor Party (ALP), having previously ser ...

's government awarded Yothu Yindi with a $30,000 grant. The money was used to travel to New York, where they performed at the United Nations for the launch of International Year for the World's Indigenous People. Mandawuy Yunupingu was named

by the Keating government on 26 January 1993. His older brother, Galarrwuy had been named Australian of the Year in 1978 for his work for Aboriginal communities. In 2009 'Treaty' was added to the

National Film and Sound Archive The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting, and providing access to a national c ...

's Sounds of Australia Registry.

1993–2000: Continued success

At the 1993 ARIA Awards, Yothu Yindi won 'Best Video', Burrundi Pictures Michael Wyatt and Stephen Johnson, directed by

Stephen Maxwell Johnson Stephen Maxwell Johnson is an Australian filmmaker, best known for his films '' Yolngu Boy'' (2001) and ''High Ground'' (2020). He is also known for directing Yothu Yindi's music videos in the late 1980s to early 1990s. Early life and educati ...

, and 'Best Indigenous Release' for " Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)" and 'Engineer of the Year' for Greg Henderson's work on "Djäpana" and "Tribal Voice". Yothu Yindi's third album ''

Freedom Freedom is the power or right to speak, act, and change as one wants without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is often associated with liberty and autonomy in the sense of "giving oneself one's own laws". In one definition, something is "free" i ...

'' was released in November 1993, the line-up included Mandawuy, Gurrumul, Makuna and Mangatjay Yunupingu, Marika, Williams, Kellaway, Benjamin and Munumggurr; and new members

Banula Marika Banula (David) Marika is an Aboriginal Australian dancer, actor, singer and performer from Yirrkala in North East Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. The son of Roy Marika, he is a member of the Rirratjingu clan of the Yolngu ...

on vocals and dance, Bunimburr Marika on ''yidaki'', Natalie Gillespie on vocals, Jodie Cockatoo Creed on vocals and clan leader Galarrwuy Yunupingu on ''bilma'' and vocals. After intense touring in 1994, Williams left Yothu Yindi and was replaced by Colin Simpson on guitar, they added Ben Hakalitz (ex- Not Drowning Waving) on drums and Baruka Tau-Matagu on keyboards. Gurrumul Yunupingu had left by 1995 to live full-time on

Elcho Island Elcho Island, known to its traditional owners as Galiwin'ku (Galiwinku) is an island off the coast of Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is located at the southern end of the Wessel Islands group located in the East Arnhe ...

, he later formed

Saltwater Band Saltwater Band are an Indigenous roots band from Galiwin'ku on Elcho Island, around 560 kilometres from Darwin. The members are Yolngu and they sing mostly in Yolngu languages. Their songs are a mixture of traditional songs and reggae/ska influe ...

to record three albums, and in 2008 released his self-titled solo album. Yothu Yindi's fourth album '' Birrkuta'' (''birrkuta'' means wild honey) was released in August 1996. "

I Am Australian "I Am Australian" (or "We Are Australian") is a popular Australian song written in 1987 by Bruce Woodley of the Seekers and Dobe Newton of the Bushwackers. Its lyrics are filled with many historic and cultural references, such as to the " dig ...

" is a popular song written in 1987 by

Dobe Newton Dobe Newton OAM (born 14 July 1948) is an Australian musician and member of folk and country music group the Bushwackers from 1973. He co-wrote the patriotic song "I Am Australian" in 1987 with Bruce Woodley. For his service to the performin ...

of The Bushwackers and

Bruce Woodley Bruce William Woodley (born 25 July 1942) is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. He was a founding member of the successful folk-pop group the Seekers, and co-composer of the songs " I Am Australian," "Red Rubber Ball," and Simon & G ...

The Seekers The Seekers were an Australian folk music, folk-influenced pop music, pop group originally formed in Melbourne in 1962. They were the first Australian pop music group to achieve major chart and sales success in the United Kingdom and the Unit ...

. It was released as a single in 1997 by trio

Judith Durham Judith Mavis Durham (née Cock; 3 July 1943 – 5 August 2022) was an Australian singer, songwriter, and musician who became the lead singer of the Australian folk music group the Seekers in 1962. The group became the first Australian pop mus ...

of The Seekers,

Russell Hitchcock Russell Charles Hitchcock (born 15 June 1949) is an Australian musician and lead vocalist of the soft rock duo Air Supply. Early life Born in Melbourne, Hitchcock attended South Brunswick State School, and later studied at Princes Hill Hig ...

from

Air Supply Air Supply is an Australian soft rock duo formed in Melbourne, Australia, in 1975, consisting of Englishman Graham Russell (vocals, guitar) and Australian Russell Hitchcock (vocals). With record sales of 100 million worldwide, they had a suc ...

and Yothu Yindi's

EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...

Australia and it peaked at No. 17 on the ARIA Singles Charts in June. Yothu Yindi's fifth album '' One Blood'' was released in 1999 and included "Treaty '98". They sponsored the Yothu Yindi Foundation, which produces the annual

celebrating Yolngu culture from 1999, and their sixth album '' Garma'' was released in 2000, with Cal Williams returning on guitars. In 2000, Yothu Yindi performed at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games. On 9 August 2000, 30-year-old Betsy Yunupingu was kicked in the head. She subsequently died, Yothu Yindi band member Gavin Makuma Yunupingu was found guilty of "committing a dangerous act causing death" and in June 2002 he was sentenced to 15 months imprisonment at Berrimah Jail, Darwin. Gavin is the son of Galarrwuy and nephew of Mandawuy.

2001–2020

In May 2001 the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), as part of its 75th-anniversary celebrations, named "Treaty" as one of the Top 30 Australian songs of all time. In 2003 Yothu Yindi toured through Northern Territory schools with Mandawuy Yunupingu, ''yidaki'' players Gapanbulu Yunupingu and Nicky Yunupingu, and Kellaway using songs, storytelling and open discussions to inspire and encourage some of Australia's most vulnerable young people to attend school and stay healthy. The Yothu Yindi Foundation in May 2007 established the Dilthan Yolngunha (Healing Place) using traditional healing practices and mainstream medicines. On 23 July 2008 a 23-year-old woman was stabbed numerous times; "yidaki" player N. Yunupingu, who was described by Northern Territory police as the offender, was later found dead by hanging. N. Yunupingu was the nephew of both Galarrwuy and Mandawuy Yunupingu, and, as members of Yothu Yindi, they had just played a concert for Prime Minister

Kevin Rudd Kevin Michael Rudd (born 21 September 1957) is an Australian diplomat and former politician who served as the 26th prime minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010 and June to September 2013. He held office as the Leaders of the Australian Labo ...

some hours before the stabbing of the woman, who was admitted to hospital, and N. Yunupingu's subsequent death. In 2009, News.com.au reported that Yothu Yindi lead singer Mandawuy Yunupingu needed a kidney transplant. Yunupingu said he drank up to four cartons of alcohol a day. "Alcohol was a big influence in my life. I didn't know what harm it did to my body. Before I knew, it was too late," he said. At the

, Yothu Yindi were inducted into the

, with

Peter Garrett Peter Robert Garrett (born 16 April 1953) is an Australian musician, environmentalist, activist and former politician. In 1973, Garrett became the lead singer of the Australian rock band Midnight Oil. As a performer he is known for his sign ...

(then a former member of

) and Paul Kelly introducing the group. ARIA Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Australia and New Zealand,

Denis Handlin Denis Anthony Handlin AO (born 1951) is an Australian former entrepreneur and business executive who served as chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Music Entertainment Australia and New Zealand and president of Sony Music Entertainmen ...

said "On behalf of the ARIA Board it is with great honour that we induct Yothu Yindi into the ARIA Hall of Fame. Yothu Yindi created a special place in the Nation's heart through their passionate and ground breaking music. Their achievements remain a lasting heritage in both our community and overseas and we look forward to celebrating their induction at the ARIAs in is what is sure to be a magic moment". The group were joined by Garrett, Kelly,

Jessica Mauboy Jessica Hilda Mauboy (; born 4 August 1989) is an Australian singer. Born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory, she rose to fame in 2006 on the Australian Idol (season 4), fourth season of ''Australian Idol'', where she was runner-up and s ...

and

Dan Sultan Daniel Leo Sultan is an Australian alternative rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, actor and author. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2010 he won Best Male Artist and Best Blues & Roots Album for his second album, '' Get Out While You Can'' (N ...

to perform "Treaty" at the ceremony. In 2019 Double J"s Dan Condon described this as one of "7 great performances from the history of the ARIA Awards." The "best of" compilation, ''

Healing Stone (The Best of Yothu Yindi) With physical trauma or disease suffered by an organism, healing involves the repairing of damaged tissue(s), organs and the biological system as a whole and resumption of (normal) functioning. Medicine includes the process by which the cells in ...

'', was released in November 2012 which included the new track "Healing Stone", produced by

Andrew Farriss Andrew Charles Farriss (born 27 March 1959) is an Australian rock musician and multi-instrumentalist best known as the keyboardist, backing vocalist, and main composer for rock band INXS. He released his debut solo album in 2021. Career Andre ...

of INXS. On 2 June 2013 lead singer M. Yunupingu died of

renal failure Kidney failure, also known as renal failure or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), is a medical condition in which the kidneys can no longer adequately filter waste products from the blood, functioning at less than 15% of normal levels. Kidney fa ...

. In line with Yolngu cultural protocols, on 4 June 2013 the family requested that the first names of the deceased no longer be used until further notice. In 2015 they collaborated with rock-reggae band

East Journey East Journey are a rock/reggae band from North East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. They combined modern and traditional music and sing in both English and Yolŋu. History The band formed in 2010, and their debut album ''Guwak'' was released ...

on a project called The Genesis Project, which included an EP and a performance at the

National Indigenous Music Awards 2015 The National Indigenous Music Awards 2015 were the 12th annual National Indigenous Music Awards. The nominations were announced on 10 July 2015 and the awards ceremony was held on 22 July 2015. For the first time in National Indigenous Music A ...

Yothu Yindi & The Treaty Project

In 2017, inspired by the 25th anniversary remix of " Treaty (Filthy Lucre remix)", some of the original members of Yothu Yindi, along with several new artists, created an

electronica Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that came to prominence in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mos ...

project entitled Yothu Yindi & The Treaty Project (YYATTP). Longtime members Witiyana Marika, Malngay Yunupingu and Stuart Kellaway were joined by blues singer

Yirrmal Yirrmal Marika (born 1993), known mononymously as Yirrmal, is an Indigenous Australian vocalist. A Yolngu man, his music features traditional sounds and elements of Yolŋu music. Early life Yirrmal Marika was born in 1993 in Yirrkala in the R ...

(Marika's son), vocalists Yirrnga Yunupingu and Constantina Bush (aka Kamahi Djordon King), multi-instrumentalist Ania Reynolds (director of

Circus Oz Circus Oz is a contemporary circus company based in Australia, collectively owned by its Membership, founded in 1978. Its shows incorporate circus, theatre, satire, rock 'n' roll and a uniquely Australian humour. History Early years Circus Oz r ...

) and guitarist Megan Bernard, while the Filthy Lucre duo Nick Coleman and Gavin Campbell worked on mixing and

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stat ...

. The group played on ABC Radio's ''The Friday Revue'' and at the Homeground festival at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive b ...

, which celebrates Indigenous culture (November 2017), and created a

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

version of ''Treaty'' with

Baker Boy Danzal James Baker (born 10 October 1996), known professionally as Baker Boy, is a Yolngu rapper, dancer, and artist. Baker Boy is known for performing original hip-hop songs incorporating both English language, English and Yolŋu languages, ...

. Inn January 2018 they were booked to play at the

Enmore Theatre The Enmore Theatre is a theatre and entertainment venue in Enmore, New South Wales, Australia. It was built in 1908. It is located at 118–132 Enmore Road in Newtown, in the inner west of Sydney's suburbs. It was first opened in 1912 as a ph ...

with The Herd. They also played Strawberry Fields Festival,

Queenscliff Music Festival Queenscliff Music Festival is a live music festival held in the town of Queenscliff, located on the Bellarine Peninsula, Victoria, Australia. The festival began in 1997 and is held annually on the last weekend of November. According to its web ...

at the opening night of the

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games The 2018 Commonwealth Games, officially known as the XXI Commonwealth Games and also known as Gold Coast 2018, were an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth that was held on the Gold Coast, Q ...

, continuing live performances into at least March 2019, including a tour to New Zealand, playing on

Waitangi Day Waitangi Day (, the national day of New Zealand, marks the anniversary of the initial signing—on 6 February 1840—of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty of Waitangi was an agreement towards British sovereignty by representatives of the The Cr ...

2019 in

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

. The group have been described as a "fluid collective", with other musicians quite often joining them on stage.

Shane Howard Shane Michael Howard (born 26 January 1955) is an Australian singer-songwriter and guitarist, he was the mainstay of folk rock group Goanna (1977–85, 1998) which had hit singles with " Solid Rock" (September 1982, No. 3) and " Let the ...

, frontman of the band

Goanna A goanna is any one of several species of lizard of the genus ''Monitor lizard, Varanus'' found in Australia and Southeast Asia. Around 70 species of ''Varanus'' are known, 25 of which are found in Australia. This varied group of carnivorous r ...

, has regularly played with them. They released the Yothu Yindi song "Mabo" for the first time as a single in April 2019.

2021–present

On 26 June 2021, Yothu Yindi played at the

Yarrapay Festival The Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre, formerly Buku-Larrŋgay Arts and also known as the Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Art Centre and Museum, is an art centre in Yirrkala, Arnhem Land, in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is often referred to as Buk ...

, which was directed by Witiyana Marika, at Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Art Centre in

, along with the Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, Yirrmal, and

. In August 2023, Yothu Yindi were inducted into the NIMAs (

) Hall of Fame for their trailblazing contribution to Indigenous music and the rights of First Nations people.

Members

Arranged alphabetically: *Andrew Belletty – drums *Hughie Benjamin – drums *Jodie Cockatoo Creed – vocals *Matt Cunliffe – keyboards *Sophie Garrkali – dancer *Natalie Gillespie – vocals *Julie Gungunbuy – dancer *Ben Hakalitz – drums *Robbie James – guitar *Stuart Kellaway – bass guitar *

– vocals, dance *Bunimburr Marika – yidaki (

) *

– manikay (traditional vocals), bilma (ironwood

s), dancer *Milkayngu Mununggurr – yidaki *Tom Neil – harmonica/ triangle player *Buruka Tau-Matagu – keyboards *Cal Williams – guitar *

– drums * Galarrwuy Yunupiŋu – vocals, bilma, guitar (died 2023) *Gapanbulu Yunupiŋu – yidaki *Gavin Makuma Yunupiŋu – yidaki, bilma, vocals * Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupiŋu – keyboards, guitar, percussion, yidaki, vocals (died 2017) * Mandawuy Yunupiŋu – singer-songwriter, guitar (died 2013) *Malngay Kevin Yunupiŋu – yidaki, bilma, dancer, vocals *Mangatjay Yunupiŋu – dancer *Narripapa Nicky Yunupiŋu – yidaki, dancer (died 2008)

Collaborations and impact

Many other musicians apart from Paul Kelly have collaborated or performed with Yothu Yindi, including

Jimmy Barnes James Dixon Barnes ( Swan; born 28 April 1956) is an Australian rock singer. His career, both as a solo performer and as the lead vocalist with the rock band Cold Chisel, has made him one of the most popular and best-selling Australian music a ...

Billy Thorpe William Richard Thorpe AM (29 March 1946 – 28 February 2007) was an English-born Australian singer-songwriter, and record producer. As lead singer of his band Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs, he had success in the 1960s with "Blue Day", "Poison Iv ...

, members of the

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock music, rock band formed in Palo Alto, California, in 1965. Known for their eclectic style that fused elements of rock, blues, jazz, Folk music, folk, country music, country, bluegrass music, bluegrass, roc ...

Santana Santana may refer to: Transportation * Volkswagen Santana, an automobile * Santana Cycles, manufacturer of tandem bicycles * Santana Motors, a former Spanish automobile manufacturer * Sailboat designs by W. D. Schock Corp ** Santana 20 ** Santan ...

, and

Emma Donovan Emma Donovan (born 1981) is an Aboriginal Australian singer and songwriter. She is a member of the renowned musical Donovan family. She started her singing career at age seven with her uncle's band, the The Donovans, Donovans. In 2000, she became ...

. Dhapanbal Yunupiŋu, daughter of Mandawuy Yunupiŋu, is a

singer-songwriter A singer-songwriter is a musician who writes, composes, and performs their own musical material, including lyrics and melodies. In the United States, the category is built on the folk- acoustic tradition with a guitar, although this role has ...

, who credits the band with providing inspiration to many young Yolngu musicians. Among these are the band

King Stingray King Stingray is an Rock music in Australia, Australian rock band from East Arnhem Region, Northeast Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. With a sound self-described as "Yolŋu surf rock", the band perform songs with lyrics in both English an ...

, whose line-up includes Mandawuy's nephew, Yirrŋa Yunupingu, as lead vocalist, and Stuart Kellaway's son Roy Kellaway on guitar.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

Extended plays

Singles

Awards

* 1991 –

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission The Australian Human Rights Commission is the national human rights institution of the Commonwealth of Australia, established in 1986 as the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) and renamed in 2008. It is a statutory body ...

Songwriting Award for "Treaty".

ARIA Awards

Yothu Yindi has won eight

(ARIA) Music Awards from 14 nominations. In 2012 they were inducted into the

. , - , ,

1990 Important events of 1990 include the Reunification of Germany and the unification of Yemen, the formal beginning of the Human Genome Project (finished in 2003), the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the separation of Namibia from South ...

, , ''

'' , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , rowspan="6",

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

, , Louise Beach / Mushroom Art – ''

'' , , Best Cover Art , , , - , , ''

'' , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , rowspan="2", "Treaty (Filthy Lucre Remix)" , , Best Video , , , - , , Single of the Year , , , - , , "Treaty" , , Song of the Year , , , - , , David Price, Ted Howard, Greg Henderson, Simon Polinski
(for "Maralitja", "Dharpa", "Treaty", "Treaty (Filthy Lucre Remix)", "Tribal Voice") , , Engineer of the Year , , , - , rowspan="3",

1993 The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as: * International Year for the World's Indigenous People The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...

, , "Djapana" , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , ,

– "Djapana" , , Best Video , , , - , , Greg Henderson – "Djapana", "Tribal Voice" , , Engineer of the Year , , , - , ,

1994 The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations. In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...

, , ''

'' , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , ,

1995 1995 was designated as: * United Nations Year for Tolerance * World Year of Peoples' Commemoration of the Victims of the Second World War This was the first year that the Internet was entirely privatized, with the United States government ...

, , "Dots on the Shells" (with Neil Finn) , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , ,

1997 Events January * January 1 – The Emergency Alert System is introduced in the United States. * January 11 – Turkey threatens Cyprus on account of a deal to buy Russian S-300 missiles, prompting the Cypriot Missile Crisis. * January 1 ...

, , ''

Birrkuta – Wild Honey ''Birrkuta – Wild Honey'' is the fourth studio album by Australian band, Yothu Yindi. It was released in November 1996 via Mushroom Records. It was co-produced by Lamar Lowder and Andrew Farriss. Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane ...

'' , , Best Indigenous Release , , , - , ,

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

, , Yothu Yindi , ,

, ,

Deadly Awards

The Deadly Awards The Deadly Awards, formally titled National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Music, Sport, Arts and Community Awards and commonly known simply as The Deadlys, was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ac ...

, (commonly known simply as The Deadlys), was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. They ran from 1996 to 2013. , - ,

, themselves , Band of the Year , , - ,

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

, themselves , Band of the Year , , - ,

2000 2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year. Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...

, ''Garma'' , Album of the Year , , - ,

2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...

, ''Yolngu Boy'' , Excellence in Film or Theatrical Score , , -

National Indigenous Music Awards

The

recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians from throughout Australia. They commenced in 2004. ! , - ,

2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...

, Yothu Yindi , Hall of Fame , ,

National Live Music Awards

The

National Live Music Awards The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are annual Australian music awards, established by Heath Media in 2016. They were preceded by the AU Live Music Awards in the previous two years. The awards are given in categories that recognise the best ...

(NLMAs) commenced in 2016 to recognise contributions to the live music industry in Australia. ! , - ! scope="row",

, Yothu Yindi , Live Legend Recipient , ,

Mo Awards

The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the

Mo Awards The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known as the Mo Awards) were an annual Australian entertainment industry award, established in 1975, to recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia. They were last awarded in 2016. ...

), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Yothu Yindi won three awards in that time. (wins only) , - , rowspan="3", 1992 , rowspan="3", Yothu Yindi , Rock Performer of the Year , , - , Australian Performer of the Year , , - , Australian Showbusiness Ambassador ,

References

External links

* {{Authority control APRA Award winners ARIA Award winners Indigenous Australian musical groups Northern Territory musical groups Yolngu ARIA Hall of Fame inductees Musical groups established in 1986 Musical groups disestablished in 2013 1986 establishments in Australia 2013 disestablishments in Australia Mushroom Records artists