Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunipungu,
Is a wonderfull Australian Indigenous singer and guitarist from the Northern Territory just arrived on the World stage as a soloist.

Olo readers and contributors who want a break from our somewhat repetitive lives that we are inclined to live, I suggest should scamper down to their local CD store and grab a copy of Geoffrey's unique and uplifting music.

Sellout concerts at the Opera House - Not bad for someone black and blind from birth !

kartiya jim,

I note you have spelled the artist's surname (if that is the appropriate designation) 'Yunipungu' in both the title to your topic and the body of your post. It's just that every time I have seen the name in print, it has been spelled 'Yunupingu'.

Am I mistakenly assuming Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunipungu (as you spell it) to be related to Gulaarwy Yunupingu, and therefore wrongly expecting what may be merely very similar names to be spelled identically? Is it that there are varying ways of legitimately rendering the name in print? Is it that the whitefella media have had it wrong all along? Or, heaven forbid, that you have made, and repeated, a typo yourself?

I'm not trying to nit pick. It's just that the matter of mis-spelling in topic titles (and the possibility of editorial correction thereof) is topical in the Technical Support thread 'Suggestions for OLO' at the moment.

Can you confirm the correct spelling of his name?

The correct spelling is Yunupingu. It's just a mere typo, don't worry about it.

His music is fantastic. Geoffrey also is called Gudjuk.

Thanks Forrest and philips ,

My humblest apologies . As you say, it's YUNUPINGU ... [and now my language is more like his .]

For a quick uplifting listen, one can go to youTube to hear him in action .

They are new songs in a very old Australian tongue .

I think he will be a great inspiration to many musicians and singers .

Dear kartiya jim,

Thank You for bringing our attention to this
gifted musician.

Sounds wonderful, and I'm going to my music
store tomorrow.

Talk about excellent timing. I've got friends
in LA - who love everything Australian, and
there's a birthday coming up.

This would make a perfect gift for them.
As well as one for me, of course.

Big hug,

IS Yothu Yindi still around?

I'm a Kiwi; the first time I heard TRIBAL indigenous Aussie music it just blew me away. You hear bits and pieces in the mainstream, or dedicated radio stations but I what I heard was in the dirt. Amazing.

I came across some more at an Xavier Rudd concert in Brisbane. He had brought some fellas down from the north and they went through songs that were....performed....I guess, when passing through 'foreign' lands, greetings, and other traditional stuff. Truly amazing.

Honoured to see it.

StG,
Not sure of what the band is doing ,but Bevan Yunupingu, the great yidaki player is playing good footy and kicking a heap of goals in Broome in his spare time .

Being a Kiwi StG, you must get a buzz hearing your National Anthem in Maori before international Rugby games . Not to mention that great song of defiance the Haka .

I long for our own version to be sung alongside those of the other Pacific Islands nations .

We non Indigenous Australians are simply missing out on a wonderfull part of our culture - Geoffrey Yunupingu in a tunefull and passionate language that we don't need to understand ,may help change that .

I'm Caucasian and very proud to have the anthem sung in Maori at the start. We're all very proud of the Haka, as well. Gives me the goosies every time I hear it. There's always some that are uncomfortable with the Maori part, but they tend to be the SOME from the older generations or have some sorta racial issues in their head. On the whole we're all very proud to share our national identity with eachother.

I'd love to see the local Indigenous culture be something other than appearing to be pulled out for the sake of impressions or for the tourists.

StG ,

Geoffrey will be appearing at the Melbourne Inernational Arts Festival between the 21st to the 24th of October 2008.

Concert details and some of his latest album are at http://www.myspace.com/gurrumul for those that want a glimpse of the man and his wonderfull music.

Stg,unfortunately for the Kiwis ,the tongues didn't come out far enough to scare the Aussies into submission with the Rugby last weekend!

What would have been the score with our own challenge Cobba-Cobba ??!