19 Facts About Mandawuy Yunupingu

In 1989 Yunupingu became assistant principal of the Yirrkala Community School and was principal for the following two years.

Mandawuy Yunupingu helped establish the Yolngu Action Group and introduced the both-ways education system, which recognised traditional Aboriginal teaching alongside Western methods.

Mandawuy Yunupingu was appointed Australian of the Year for 1992 by the National Australia Day Council.

Mandawuy Yunupingu was born as Tom Djambayang Bakamana Mandawuy Yunupingu on 17 September 1956 in Yirrkala, Arnhem Land, an Aboriginal reserve in the northeastern part of the Northern Territory.

Mandawuy Yunupingu was a member of the Gumatj people, one of sixteen groups of the Yolngu people.

Mandawuy Yunupingu's oldest sister, Gulumbu Yunupingu, was an artist and healer.

Mandawuy Yunupingu's older brother, Galarrwuy Yunupingu, a senior elder of Arnhem Land, was Australian of the Year in 1978, and was an Indigenous land rights campaigner.

In 1983, Mandawuy Yunupingu published "Outstation schools at Yirrkala" in Aboriginal Child at School, where he described the advantages to Indigenous people by "[determining] their own way of living, provided, they manage budgeting through Isolated Children's Allowance, staffing their schools, developing curriculum, and teacher training".

Mandawuy Yunupingu was the first Aboriginal person from Arnhem Land to gain a university degree, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Deakin University in 1988.

Mandawuy Yunupingu helped establish the Yolngu Action Group and introduced the Both Ways system at his school, which recognised traditional Aboriginal teaching alongside Western methods.

Mandawuy Yunupingu remained principal until late 1991, leaving to expand his musical career.

In 1992 Mandawuy Yunupingu worked with rock musician Jimmy Barnes on a project called "Sister Schools", the aim of which was to ensure that "schools with few or no Aboriginal children will forge educational and social links with schools with large numbers of Aboriginal children, in an attempt to foster tolerance and understanding".

Mandawuy Yunupingu's wife, Yalmay Yunupingu, taught at the school for around 40 years before her retirement in 2023, and was a dedicated teacher and mentor in bilingual education.

Mandawuy Yunupingu was credited on the album as Mandawuy Bakamana Yunupingu and provided vocals, guitar and bilma.

In 1991 "Treaty", co-written by Mandawuy Yunupingu, won the inaugural Song of the Year Award at the APRA Music Awards presented by Australasian Performing Right Association.

Mandawuy Yunupingu strove to achieve a better understanding of Aboriginal culture by balanda and was a prominent advocate of reconciliation between all Australians.

Mandawuy Yunupingu died on 2 June 2013, aged 56 following a long battle with kidney disease.

Mandawuy Yunupingu is survived by five daughters and five grandsons.

Mandawuy Yunupingu was diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure, which in turn contributed to advanced kidney failure, for which he received haemodialysis three times a week in Darwin.