George Rrurrambu Burarrwanga | |
|---|---|
 Burarrwanga (left) withSeaman Dan (right) in 2002 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | George Rrurrambu |
| Also known as | George Djilangya |
| Born | 1957 Elcho Island, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Origin | Papunya, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Died | 10 June 2007(2007-06-10) (aged 49–50) Elcho Island, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Genres | Rock,Aboriginal music |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Years active | 1975-2007 |
| Labels | Powderworks, Festival/Parole |
| Formerly of | Warumpi Band |
George Rrurrambu Burarrwanga (1957 – 10 June 2007), known in life asGeorge Rrurrambu andGeorge Djilangya, was known as thefrontman ofWarumpi Band, anAboriginal rock band.
Burarrwanga was aYolngu man, born in the remotehomeland of Matamata in the ceremonial women's birthing area under a tree, like many babies from generations before him. He was then raised in the community ofGaliwinku onElcho Island, offArnhem Land.
Burarrwanga's musical career began as a child through the education of ancestralsonglines which his father, Charlie Matjuwuy Burarrwanga, mastered in depth of historical knowledge, pitch, tone and feeling. Matjuwuy was to become the most respected and sought-after Yolngu ceremonial singer acrossIndigenous Australian communities until his death in 2007 at the age of 49 or 50. At theNT Indigenous Music Awards 2004, Rrurrambu was inducted into the NT Hall of Fame.[citation needed]
During the late 1970s, he moved to the desert community ofYuendumu, with his younger brother who married Felicity Robertson and became fluent in theWalpiri language and law. George's brother and his wife had their first child, Glenda, who is a revered healer and strong advocate for the rights of community members struggling with mainstream culture.[citation needed]
Yuendumu is closely located to the community ofPapunya, where families of both communities regularly visit one another. It was on one of these visits where George was to encounter two brothers:Sammy Butcher and Gordon Butcher, and their sister Suzina Butcher who George later married and had two daughters by.Sammy Butcher and Gordon Butcher,together withNeil Murray, were musing over backyard arrangements without the confidence of a singer. With his talent evident, George soon became the lead singer of the band.
In 1983, they released the single "Jailanguru Pakarnu" (Out of Jail),[1] the firstrock song ever released in anAustralian Aboriginal language.[2]
Three albums,Big Name No Blanket (1985),Go Bush (1988) andToo Much Humbug (1996), followed, including the anthemic songs "Blackfella/Whitefella" and "My Island Home", the latter of which was made famous when it was covered byChristine Anu in 1995.[2]
Burarrwanga performed at a number of major music festivals, includingWOMADelaide, theMelbourne International Arts Festival, theAdelaide Fringe Festival, and the indigenous music eventsStompen Ground inBroome and theGarma Festival inGove.
After the break-up of the Warumpi Band, Burarrwanga launched a lower-key solo career, performing to sellout crowds at theFestival of Darwin and appearing live on national television for theYeperenye Federation Festival inAlice Springs during 2000. He then launched a soloreggae album, touring throughout theNorthern Territory and then to Europe in 2002.
Throughout his career, Burarrwanga was active in promotingreconciliation and cross-cultural understanding between black and white Australians. In later years, Burarrwanga largely returned to traditional Aboriginal life, attending funeral andcircumcision ceremonies with his father, aGumatj clan leader. He was a proponent of combining the technical experience of white Australia with the knowledge of the land of the Aboriginal people to achieve more successful outcomes.
After his death at the age of 50 on 10 June 2007,[3][4] he became known as George Burarrwanga for cultural reasons.[2] Recently, his original Yolngu name has returned to use—the liner notes to theWarumpi Band 4 Ever box set refer to him as George Rrurrambu Burarrwanga.
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