George Burarrwanga clan
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www.theage.com.au/news/music/yolngu-rocknroll-man/2005/07/25/
The story of Rrurrambu's life and his Yolngu clan, including his wild days touring with Warumpi, will be portrayed next month during a one-man show - NERRPU Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy - at the Darwin Entertainment Centre, one of the highlights of the 18-day Darwin Festival that starts on August 11.
"My show sends out many messages," he says. "White fellas and black fellas have got to come together in a new era but they can't do that until they know the truth of the past."
Rrurrambu says the world must understand that Aboriginal people are "human beings on this planet - we are people who will not be pushed around".
During the multilingual show, co-written and directed by Carmel Young, Rrurrambu appears near naked on stage carrying a spear and woomera.
He tells the story of his ancestral "grandfather", who heroically repels a landing party from a Dutch ship, slapping away musket balls fired at him and eventually spearing three men with one spear. Aged 48, Rrurrambu shows amazing agility. On stage, he will act out the moment he decided to give up the grog and talk in a humorous way of his years as a rock'n'roll singer, which he says "brought fame but not much fortune".
Members of his family will be seen singing and dancing in a multi-media backdrop produced by video artist Tony Collins.
www.drugs.vibe.com.au“I teach them about the way we think, the way we care about this land,” he explains. “For instance, women never touch the didgeridoo, only men – that is our lore and we respect it.
“I was speaking overseas, and this wealthy woman, she wanted to play the didgeridoo. That’s all she wanted to do. I explained that she couldn’t, and she got upset. I told her – I should be the one getting upset! It’s our lore, you have to respect it.”
George has also recently embarked on a theatrical career; last year performing his show Nerrpu – Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy (The story of George Rrurrambu) at the Darwin Entertainment Centre.
As well as bringing his story to others, George has been putting a lot back into his own community, working with young people and teaching them the importance of education.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/jul/19/guardianobituaries.obituaries Although now commanding a degree of international recognition, and viewed as pioneers in Australia (where they had inspired a new generation of Aboriginal musicians and artists), they again split up in 2000. Rrurrambu, now concentrating on performing reggae-flavoured original material (both solo and fronting Birdwave), embarked on a theatrical career with Nerrpu Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy (The Story of George Rrurrambu) and gave workshops and lectures on the traditional Yolngu way of life. For these he travelled internationally, sometimes upsetting western clients when he insisted on sticking with traditional lore. "I was speaking overseas," he recalled, "and this wealthy woman, she wanted to play the didgeridoo. That's all she wanted to do. I explained that she couldn't (only men can), and she got upset. I told her, 'I should be the one getting upset! It's our lore, you have to respect it.'"
George has also turned his talents to theatre and
recently performed NERRPU Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy
(The story of George Rrurrambu) at the Darwin Entertainment Center.
He is in demand around the country as a speaker lecturing on
Yolngu culture and music and has conducted cultural workshops
in Berlin and Amsterdam. George is committed to his culture and
country with a strong desire to create a better future for the next
generation through productive partnerships with the balanda (whitefella).
In 2007, on June the 10th George died at the age of 50 after a long
battle with cancer,after his death he became known as
George Burarrwanga for cultural reasons.
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2007456.ece - In 2005 he toured his autobiographical one-man show Nerrpu Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy around Australia, and made his final recordings in 2006 on the album Baru by the Adelaide-based group Birdwave.
George has also been in demand as a speaker giving lectures and seminars on Yolngu culture and music. In 2000 he delivered lectures and workshops at the Australian National University, Australian Institute For Aboriginal Studies and the National Museum of Australia in Canberra. In 2002 he conducted cultural workshops in Berlin and Amsterdam in conjunction with the Australia Centre in
Rrurrambu’s return to traditional life, regularly attending funeral and circumcision ceremonies with his father, Matjuwi, a Gumatj clan leader, has not only firmed his commitment to culture and country but inspired a desire to create a better future for the next generation through productive partnerships with the balanda (whitefella) world. He says that by combining the technical expertise of the balanda and the yolngu knowledge of the land and the environment we can create the right future for our kids.
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www.theage.com.au/news/music/yolngu-rocknroll-man/2005/07/25/ Yolngu rock'n'roll man Darwin George Rrurrambu will take the stage in his show NERRPU Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy, to be performed at the Darwin Festival month.George Rrurrambu knew that his hell-raising days, when he was known as the "black Mick Jagger", were hypocritical. "I was bad drinker, a heavy drinker," says the former lead singer of Warumpi Band. "I was singing to deliver a message about my people needing to giving up the grog and was weaving all about the place myself. "Then, as I was about to lose everything, people around me were saying, 'George, you can use the colour of your skin to tell the world about the true, proud story about your people and your country (land)'." The story of Rrurrambu's life and his Yolngu clan, including his wild days touring with Warumpi, will be portrayed next month during a one-man show - NERRPU Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy - at the Darwin Entertainment Centre, one of the highlights of the 18-day Darwin Festival that starts on August 11. "My show sends out many messages," he says. "White fellas and black fellas have got to come together in a new era but they can't do that until they know the truth of the past." Rrurrambu says the world must understand that Aboriginal people are "human beings on this planet - we are people who will not be pushed around". During the multilingual show, co-written and directed by Carmel Young, Rrurrambu appears near naked on stage carrying a spear and woomera. He tells the story of his ancestral "grandfather", who heroically repels a landing party from a Dutch ship, slapping away musket balls fired at him and eventually spearing three men with one spear. Aged 48, Rrurrambu shows amazing agility. On stage, he will act out the moment he decided to give up the grog and talk in a humorous way of his years as a rock'n'roll singer, which he says "brought fame but not much fortune". Members of his family will be seen singing and dancing in a multi-media backdrop produced by video artist Tony Collins. Artistic director Malcolm Blaylock says this year's Darwin Festival will have a strong emphasis on the cultures of Aborigines and Indonesians. The strong historical connections between the Yolngu people of Arnhem Land and the Makassarese people of Indonesia will be revived when dancers from the cultures perform on an open-air stage on August 15. Blaylock says the festival will also feature performances by Christine Anu, David Page in Page 8, Gary Lang's new show Entrapment and Dubu and dancers from Papua New Guinea performing rituals. George Rrurrambu Deadly Vibe Issue 97 March 2005 A Little Respect He’s from the bush and he’s proud – George Rrurrambu gets the message out. Talking to George Rrurrambu, you get a sense that you are in the presence of a powerful wisdom – a man who appears to hold a deep understanding of the mysteries of life. For George, however, it’s all very simple, and boils down to one single word: respect. “Respect is the most important thing,” he states emphatically. “It’s the first thing. You respect our lore, we respect your law. That way we can live together.” George has been spreading that message for over 20 years, beginning his journey as part of the pioneering Aboriginal band Warumpi Band. Warumpi released the first rock song in an Aboriginal language, Jailanguru Pakarnu (Out From Jail) in 1983, and went on to bring their music to people in both the big cities and the remote communities of Australia, as well as across the seas in Europe, Japan and the South Pacific. “After we played our last concert in Darwin in 2000, I promised my people that I would never stop,” he says. “The only way to stop me singing is to throw a microphone into my coffin.” After performing solo for a while, George formed his new band, Birdwave, who he recently performed with at WOMADelaide, a three day world music, arts and dance festival held in Adelaide ’s Botanic Park . George literally “found” his new band while at the last Garma Festival. “These two guys were showing me to where my tent was,” he says. “They told me they loved my music and sometimes sang my songs. So we had a jam around the fire and I just knew – these were my guys.” Inspired by his new band, George has been writing a lot of new material, including a song about his childhood, when he used to make his own sailboats out of driftwood and scrap paper. “Sometimes they would come back, sometimes they would sail away,” he says. “Just like today – some people sail across the sea, some people come back.” George has also been giving workshops and lectures on the traditional Yolngu way of life, travelling as far as Berlin and Bermuda to teach others about his people and their culture. “I teach them about the way we think, the way we care about this land,” he explains. “For instance, women never touch the didgeridoo, only men – that is our lore and we respect it. “I was speaking overseas, and this wealthy woman, she wanted to play the didgeridoo. That’s all she wanted to do. I explained that she couldn’t, and she got upset. I told her – I should be the one getting upset! It’s our lore, you have to respect it.” George has also recently embarked on a theatrical career; last year performing his show Nerrpu – Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy (The story of George Rrurrambu) at the Darwin Entertainment Centre. As well as bringing his story to others, George has been putting a lot back into his own community, working with young people and teaching them the importance of education. “I tell them that these days you need your higher school certificate,” he says. “We live in a new era, and this piece of paper is important if you want to get a job and earn money. Don’t be shame – go to school.” He has also been teaching young people about music and the music industry, working at both the Northern Territory Open Education Centre and Corrugated Iron Youth Arts (CIYA). “We call it CIYA, ‘cause it’s like ‘See ya’ – you gotta get out there and find your own way back,” George explains. “Write your own song, your own story.” George believes it is important to share knowledge with as many people as you can, and only through sharing knowledge between black and white can we reach true reconciliation. “If people want to understand us, we have to be ready to supply them with the knowledge they are looking for – to bring us together,” he says, before breaking into the Warumpi favourite, From the Bush. “Listen to me! I’m from the bush!” he belts out. Put like that, it’s hard to refuse. (story 1/3/2005 end) George Rrurrambu is a pioneer of Aboriginal music. Originally from Elcho Island and lead singer of the famous Warumpi Band, George's recording career began in 1983 with the single "Jailanguru Pakanu" the first rock song released in an Aboriginal language. Since then he has recorded Big Name No Blankets (1985) Go Bush (1988) and Too Much Humbug (1996) all with Warumpi Band. George has now embarked on his solo career with the release of hi album, Nerbu, Message (Transmitter).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2007/jul/19/guardianobituaries.obituaries Obituary George Rrurrambu Charismatic Aboriginal singer working for reconciliation with a rock-reggae sound Garth Cartwright Thursday 19 July 2007 Bone cancer has killed George Rrurrambu at the age of 50, thus depriving Australia of one of its most charismatic Aboriginal citizens. He gained fame in his homeland - and a degree of international recognition - as a musician and frontman for the Warumpi Band, whose celebration of Aboriginal identity and socially conscious songs represented a breakthrough in what remains a racially conservative nation. Rrurrambu identified himself with the Yolngu people of the Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. The word yolngu literally means "person" in the local language. The name of the band derives from the honey-ant dreaming site near the Aboriginal settlement of Papunya, 260km west of Alice Springs, where the band originated in the early 1980s. Initially playing to local Aboriginal communities, outback sheep stations and isolated townships, they toured Australia's hottest, dustied and desolate regions, developing a loose, soulful rock-reggae-country sound. The band wrote, recorded and released the first rock song in an Aboriginal language, Jailanguru Pakarnu (Out From Jail), in 1983. A year later, they released their debut album, Big Name No Blankets. Its cheap production values could not hide the band's original vision and lyrical eloquence. Good reviews and a degree of radio play followed. One song, Blackfella/Whitefella, with its lyrical refrain of "Black fella, white fella/ Yellow fella, any fella/ It doesn't matter what your colour/ As long as you are true fella", has become a classic of contemporary Australian music. In 1985 the band toured Australia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and a year later released their Go Bush album, which contained My Island Home, a hymn to Ruruuambau's tribal land that would become an unofficial national anthem to many Aboriginals. With his huge Afro hairstyle and energetic stage performance, Rrurrambu, who also introduced Aboriginal clap sticks into rock'n'roll, began to be compared to Mick Jagger and James Brown. But alongside success he struggled with alcoholism. He later admitted, "I started off singing ... with the alcohol in my hand. I was singing about 'When are you going to stop drinking?' but I was falling all over the place. I realised that I was cheating my own people, saying, 'You stop drinking so I can drink it myself.'" The Warumpi Band folded in the late-1980s, although Rrurrambu continued to perform as a solo artist. In 1995 the band reformed, released the album Too Much Humbug - with a launch party in Alice Springs before a tour of Australia, Germany, France, Poland, Switzerland, Italy and Britain. Although now commanding a degree of international recognition, and viewed as pioneers in Australia (where they had inspired a new generation of Aboriginal musicians and artists), they again split up in 2000. Rrurrambu, now concentrating on performing reggae-flavoured original material (both solo and fronting Birdwave), embarked on a theatrical career with Nerrpu Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy (The Story of George Rrurrambu) and gave workshops and lectures on the traditional Yolngu way of life. For these he travelled internationally, sometimes upsetting western clients when he insisted on sticking with traditional lore. "I was speaking overseas," he recalled, "and this wealthy woman, she wanted to play the didgeridoo. That's all she wanted to do. I explained that she couldn't (only men can), and she got upset. I told her, 'I should be the one getting upset! It's our lore, you have to respect it.'" Rrurrambu was active in promoting reconciliation and cross-cultural understanding between Australians. In later years, he returned largely to traditional life, attending funeral and circumcision ceremonies with his father, a Gumatj clan leader. He was a proponent of combining the technical experience of Europeans with the knowledge of the land of the Aboriginal people in order to build a future that engaged all Australians. He retreated to Elcho island, the place that inspired My Island Home, last February when the cancer diagnosis was terminal. For cultural reasons, upon his death he became referred to as George Burarrwanga. His last album, Nerbu Message, concluded with the song Wake Up Australia, something Rrurrambu had spent his adult life striving for. He is survived by his wife Suzina McDonald, two sons and four daughters. · George Rrurrambu, singer, songwriter, born 1957; died June 10 2007 George Rrurrambu is a pioneer of Aboriginal rock music. George Rrurrambu Burarrawanga | Times Online Obituary - Obituary for George Rrurrambu Burarrawanga from The Times and Sunday Times. ... to die surrounded by members of the Gumatj clan, of which he was a member. ... From June 30, 2007 George Rrurrambu BurarrawangaAboriginal rock musician who brought indigenous issues and language to a worldwide audienceGeorge Rrurrambu Burarrawanga was the lead singer with the pioneering Aboriginal rock group The Warumpi Band, whose song My Island Home has become an unofficial alternative Australian national anthem. He was born in 1957 in the tiny Aboriginal community of Galiwinku on Elcho Island, off the coast of Arnhem Land. By 1980 he was living in Papunya in the Northern Territory, where he joined the school teacher, songwriter and guitarist Neil Murray and local musicians Gordon and Sammy Butcher to form the Warumpi Band. The group’s pioneering mix of indigenous themes and rock’n’roll made them a popular live attraction around Aboriginal communities and they began to attract national attention in 1983 after recording Jailanguru Pakarnu, the first rock’n’roll song to use an aboriginal language. They began to play regularly on the Sydney rock scene and in 1985 received their biggest break to date when they were invited to tour with the leading Australian rock band Midnight Oil, whose songs promoted the issues of Aboriginal land rights and racial reconciliation. The same year also saw the release of the group’s first album Big Name, No Blankets, which included two of the band’s most significant songs. Blackfella/Whitefella reflected the transracial friendship between the band’s two leading members but had a far wider application. So too did My Island Home, written by Murray for his colleague after he had taken a fishing holiday with him on Elcho Island. The group’s own recording of the song was not a hit, but ten years later the Aboriginal singer Christine Anu took it into the charts. It swiftly became an alternative national anthem, particularly for Australians abroad, who interpreted it as referring to the larger land mass of Australia itself rather than Elcho Island. The song was later used to close the Sydney 2000 Olympics. A second album Go Bush! followed in 1988, but two years later the band was put on hold while Murray launched a solo career. They reconvened for a third album, Too Much Humbug, in 1996 which was supported by the group’s first and only European tour. They began in Paris and Rrurrambu was allegedly shocked to find that many French people did not understand English: his own first language was Luritja but he had learnt English and assumed that all educated people spoke it. The Warumpi Band folded in 2000, whereupon Rrurrambu, dubbed “the black Jagger” by the Australian media, launched a solo career, releasing the album Nerbu Message. Sadly, like many Aboriginals, he suffered from health problems induced by alcohol, a problem which he often sang about in his songs. In 2005 he toured his autobiographical one-man show Nerrpu Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy around Australia, and made his final recordings in 2006 on the album Baru by the Adelaide-based group Birdwave. After having lung cancer diagnosed, he returned to Elcho Island to die surrounded by members of the Gumatj clan, of which he was a member. In a statement he had prepared to be released after his death, he declared: “The king of rock’n’roll is gone, the leader of the Warumpi Band has died today.” He was known throughout his life as George Rrurrambu but, in accordance with Aboriginal practice, he was given the name Burarrawanga after his death. He is survived by his wife, Suzina McDonald, and two sons and four daughters. George Rrurrambu Burarrawanga, rock singer, was born in 1957. He died on June 10, 2007, aged 50
ARCHIVE: His last national tour was with Warumpi band for the 1999 Big Day Out. George has made countless appearances on television and radio including live performances on national TV. He packed the house at FIGJAM Indigenous Music Concert and The Esplanade Concert for the Festival of Darwin in 2000 with record audiences. He also appeared live on national television at the Yeperenye Federation Festival in Alice Springs. In 2001 he recorded a solo reggae album and toured extensively throughout the Northern Territory, taking the show to Europe in 2002 | ||||
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The Three Big Bands at The Dreaming There will be more nostalgia as pioneering 80¹s Aboriginal rock supergroup, the Warumpi Band will come together with founding members Neil Murray and George Rrurrambu returning to the stage with hits that include ŒMy Island Home¹ and ŒBlackfella Whitefella¹. The third band to hit the bigtime and now to grace The Dreaming is Yothu Yindi which first played in 1986. Since then, Yothu Yindi, led by its songwriter Mandawuy Yunupingu, has been a source of inspiration within the whole music world, combining the sounds and instrumentation of western rock Œn¹ roll with songs and performances that date back tens of thousands of years. This band¹s musical talent has drawn admiration from far and wide, breaking down barriers of prejudice, and even playing with acclaim in the fast lane to audiences as glitzy as that at the Indy ball on the Gold Coast. Australia's International Indigenous Festival The Warumpi Band is also the ants pants of Aboriginal music, its name in fact deriving from the honey-ant dreaming site near Papunya where the band originated. This band, back in 1986, inspired and accompanied Midnight Oil on a month-long tour of Aboriginal communities. This tour resulted in the recording of ŒGo Bush¹, an album which included the original version of the indigenous anthem ŒMy Island Home¹. For George Rrurrambu, a saltwater man whose life story is reflected in that anthem, it¹s a second appearance at The Dreaming. He said he was very keen to continue his cultural association with the festival. He was involved in the special closing ceremony chant at last year¹s inaugural Dreaming Festival when senior lore men and women from across the country were represented and a new songline connecting the resident Dungidau clan was sung in. ³I¹m very happy to be returning to the dreaming festival, it is most important for both black and white that this festival continues,² said George. ³Last year I was at The Dreaming with my one man show Nerrpu Dhawu Rrurrambuwuy. This year I¹m bringing Warumpi Band and all the songs people all over Australia ask me to sing. My brother-in-law Sammy Butcher is sending his two sons Jason and Jeremia, so this is a new generation mixed with me and Neil and our brother Buddy Knox. Founder member Neil Murray said: ³To be playing with the next generation is very exciting.² And Buddy Knox said:. ³I¹ve played many times with Warumpi and so when I got a call saying Sammy Butcher wanted me to play guitar for Warumpi at The Dreaming well it was an request I just couldn¹t refuse.² http://www.thedreamingfestival.com/ |
www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/George_Rrurrambu - Yolngu
Elcho Island
Arnhem Land
Aboriginal rock
Warumpi Band
Throughout his career, Burarrwanga was active in promoting reconciliation and cross-cultural understanding between black and white Australians. In later years, Burarrwanga largely returned to traditional life, attending funeral
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