The family of Yothu Yindi singer and former Australian of the Year Mundawuy Yunupingu has issued a statement following the announcement of his death yesterday at age 56.
Mandawuy Yunupingu
“We are heartbroken. We are so grateful for the outpouring of love from every corner of the country and from overseas. We honour him as the first Yolŋu principal and the champion of community teacher-based bilingual education. He has devoted his life to reconciling the different peoples of this nation. His songs say it all. He was an inspirational Yolŋu intellectual who ignored barriers and found a way for people to work together. We have a deep hope that his loss could result in a greater effort to make organ transplants available to remote Indigenous people and the establishment of a scholarship for Indigenous bilingual scholars in his name.
He is survived by his wife Yalmay, six daughters and six grandchildren. He is, was, and always will be a Gumatj man, a Yolngu man and a great Australian.”
Youthu Yindi manager Alan James has also issued these words.
“Yothu Yindi is mourning the death of its beloved lead singer.
He was an inspirational educator and leader: a huge force for good, happiness and change
for his people and for Australia.We are incredibly proud of what we achieved together.
His contribution as an educator, in the formation of the band, the Yothu Yindi Foundation,
and its Garma Festival is unprecedented.He was such creative and unifying force, we hope his legacy goes on for ever.
We will all miss him so much”.
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