YOTHU YINDI

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story contains names and photos of those who have died.

National Indigenous Music Awards – NIMA Hall of Fame 2023

by Daniel James

Words are easy, words are cheap
Much cheaper than our precious land
But promises can disappear
Just like writing in the sand

– Yothu Yindi, "Treaty" 1991

Yothu Yindi knew about the power of words, the ability to speak to us through song, sometimes in our language, sometimes in theirs. For then, as it is now, what they had to say needed to be heard by all of us, never to be swept away in the winds of time. Their words and music now songlines, only becoming more poignant in time.

Before the digital revolution, a revolution which enabled First Nations artists to record without the use of studios, able to bypass gatekeepers to their creativity and then distribute their music to the world via the click of a mouse, these same artists, in their growing numbers, needed heroes of their own to look up to. Yothu Yindi was one such band which underlined the maxim, "you can’t be what you can’t see".

Like so many bands that go onto become rock royalty, Yothu Yindi and its members evolved in a number of guises as they honed their musicianship and found their voice. Like searching for a wellspring, the source of a great river, we can track one of the band’s earliest iterations to the Diamond Dogs. A band formed by Mandawuy and Balupalu Yunupingu. Both shared a love for The Beatles, David Bowie and Creedence Clearwater Revival, just like so many other budding rock stars of the time. It was the love for this music that propelled them towards what would eventually become Yothu Yindi. As much a collective than a band, more of a movement than both.

The band was founded in 1986 by Mandawuy Yunupingu, a Yolngu elder and eventual cultural icon. In a spiritual and musical sense, Mandawuy was the heart and soul of the band, contributing lead vocals and guitar playing that were central to the band's signature sound. The original line-up also featured Witiyana Marika on vocals, Stuart Kellaway on bass guitar, Cal Williams on lead guitar and Andrew Belletty on drums. From the very beginning, the band aimed to blend traditional First Nations music with contemporary rock. As it had been for thousands of generations, song was its message carrier. While rarely seen on stage with the band, Mandawuy’s older brother and force for change Galarrwuy Yunupingu, as he was in any situation, was an influential presence in both musicality and spirit. To hear Yothu Yindi was to hear Galarrwuy.

As for the nation, 1988 proved to be a seminal time for Yothu Yindi. The nation was in the grips of a taxpayer funded "birthday" party. It was deemed that the nation was 200-years-old, such a brief moment in the midst of time as to be no more than a light layer of dew on the tallest gum tree. Inescapable pomp and ceremony at every turn as the country cheered on the re-enactment of first invasion party, also known as the first fleet’s entrance through the heads of Sydney Harbour. A time of great insensitivity and another coat of the whitewash which had been layered upon the true history of the continent and its inhabitants. It was in this stifling cultural cringe, in an environment not meant for them that Yothu Yindi found its voice as part of the re-energised opposition to Australia Day.

That same year, maestro of the yidiki, Milkay Mununggurr joined the band. His virtuosity and drive on the ancient instrument took the band to the next level; his playing added even more colour and movement to the whirlwind rainbow of their music. Yothu Yindi, in its breakout year, proved to be a pivotal part of the swirling undercurrent which was about to sweep the story of Australia along with it, in the direction of enlightenment, generosity and hope. A journey we are all still riding.

With the release of their first album, Homeland Movement, the early 90s beckoned and the country was changing. Denial of what had been done to the country’s original inhabitants at the hands of colonialism had begun to turn to curiosity on the road to reckoning. Yothu Yindi was at the forefront of this tumult; they became what they had always intended to be – rock stars and educators.

Tribal Voice, the band’s second album could not have landed more precisely within the cultural landscape of the country if it had tried. Amidst the heat and the inner turmoil which the country endured during these times, as it rummaged through its conscience, searching for identity, Yothu Yindi told them through a megaphone where to find it, on the radio, the television. The words and sounds of the band were the soundtrack through the years of Mabo and Native Title. Anyone who was around at the time and thinks back to those days has Yothu Yindi’s music reverberating within our heads, and for some of us, in our hearts. Tribal Voice went on to become a double platinum album and its follow up Freedom, captured plainly and simply what had just happened in the song "Mabo".

Terra nullius terra nullius
Terra nullius is dead and gone
We were right
That we were here
They were wrong

– Yothu Yindi, "Mabo" 1993

The band went on to release three more studio albums, their storytelling forever traversing the songlines of the land they love so much, all the way from East Arnhem to the eastern suburbs.

Tragically, in 2013, Mandawuy Yunupingu, the band's driving force, passed away. His death was a profound loss for both the band and the world of music. Mandawuy's contributions to Indigenous music and cultural awareness were immeasurable, leaving behind a lasting legacy that continues to inspire artists and activists alike. Following his passing, the band's remaining members have continued to honour his memory and promote his messages of unity and social change.

In the wake of Mandawuy Yunupingu's passing, the remaining members of Yothu Yindi, including founding member Witiyana Marika, have carried on his mission. Their commitment to preserving Indigenous culture, advocating for social justice, and producing music that transcends borders has remained unwavering. Yothu Yindi's recent performances and collaborations have showcased the band's enduring relevance and their dedication to continuing their musical journey.

Yothu Yindi’s story isn’t a quintessential Australian story, it’s more than that. It’s a story of what Australia could be if we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to be big enough to embrace the oldest living culture on the planet in all of its beauty, honesty and grace. Something to dream about next time we stare into the sunset.

The Australian Music Vault is proud to honour the achievements of the 2023 National Indigenous Music Awards (NIMA) Hall of Fame inductee, Yothu Yindi. The NIMAs are recognised as Australia’s most prominent showcase of Indigenous Australian music from across the country. The Awards celebrate the achievements of both emerging and established artists and have recognised the lifetime achievements of many artists including Kutcha Edwards, Vic Simms, Henry “Seaman” Dan, Archie Roach, Auriel Andrew, Jimmy Little, Coloured Stone, No Fixed Address, Warumpi Band, Wilma Reading and Tiddas, among many others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Daniel James:
Award-winning Yorta Yorta writer and broadcaster Daniel James has over 20 years experience in community and government sectors with developed skills in policy, program management, social media policy and advocacy for better outcomes for Aboriginal people. He is a contributor to IndigenousX, The Age, SMH, The Saturday Paper, SBS, ABC Radio and Crikey. Daniel currently presents The Mission on RRR, exploring the issues that impact the lives of Aboriginal people and those at the wrong end of social justice in this country.