Warumpi Band’s legendary frontman remembered

THERE are few people in the world who are unlike any other. But George Rrurrambu Burarrawanga, passionate frontman for the Warumpi Band, was one of them

Warumpi Band performing at the Adelaide Festival in 2000.

GeoRge Rrurrambu Burarrawanga broke boundaries and thrust contemporary Aboriginal rock ‘n’ roll into the mainstream.

Ten years to the day after his death, George’s eldest daughter Glenda Napanangka Martin has said it is now time to speak his full name — in indigenous culture, when a loved one passes, their name is not spoken until the mourning period is over.

The Warumpi Band in the early days.

George on stage.

“Making this decision is very difficult for many reasons,” she said. “It is painful to hear our important one’s name spoken who has passed, as it brings to us a vision as if the person is still alive, and a mark of respect in our culture is to let them rest; using his name disturbs this process as we grieve. But now it’s time to say his full name when we talk or write about him.

“With this in mind, it’s also time my father’s full name is spoken of respectfully to celebrate everything he brought to this world, so each of his children, grandchildren, future descendants and the public remember and learn to take pride in what he gave to the world.”

George wowing the crowd.

On June 10, 2007, George succumbed to cancer, leaving behind a shattered family and a legacy many believe has never been fully recognised.

As the face of the Warumpi Band, George, who was from Elcho Island, took contemporary Aboriginal music to a global stage. It was the sounds of Black Fella, White Fella and My Island Home that paved the way for appreciation and celebration of Aboriginal music on a national level.

The band’s track Jailanguru Pakarnu (Out of Jail) was the first ever rock song recorded in an indigenous language.

Skinnyfish Music director Michael Hohnen said George was one of a kind.

“In life you have one-off people, where there will never be another person anything like them — George was definitely one of those people,” he said. “He was a rock star. He, like most lead singers, he had the ego to match, but in a humble way. He was always ready to share any cultural knowledge he had with any musician and encouraged all upcoming musicians.”

Michael and George travelled the globe together, and taught people about music and the music industry.

“When we were working with Nabarlek, Wildflower, Saltwater, he was there in the studio yelling at them — in a nice way — about what to do and how important it was that they were doing what they were doing,” Michael said.

“People like Gurrumul would not be doing what they’re doing if he had not been out there saying ‘you really need to go out there and do it yourself’.”

George plays the didgeridoo while touring with Midnight Oil on the Blackfella/Whitefella tour in 1986.

At the Barunga Festival tonight, in a place that was important to George, 25 community bands will perform. The top act will be honoured with an award in George’s name tomorrow.

“He was never fully acknowledged for how important he was and the award, for us, is a huge acknowledgment of how important we see him,” Michael said. “I hope he’s recognised with a bit more importance and dignity at a national level, because he has not really been recognised properly.”

George bridged the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians through the Warumpi Band. His larger-than-life personality was a contrast to the quiet, shy persona often associated with Aboriginal people.

“He taught us that even though a lot of people say Aboriginal people are shame or shy, they don’t have to be,” Michael said. “He was the trailblazer and the front runner of an extrovert band and an outspoken cultural ambassador. I think, if anything, he would have wanted Aboriginal men and women to take away their shyness and get out there and make a statement.”

The award at Barunga in his honour is one step closer to giving George greater recognition and there are hopes that, with his name now able to be spoken, it will be shared more.

Previously The National Indigenous Music Awards had a memorial award in George’s name, but it was unfunded in 2014. Music NT director Mark Smith said they were in the process of a new award honouring many legends of contemporary Aboriginal music.

“The award was instigated with the partnership of the government at that time and that funding cycle stopped,” he said. “(The funding stopped) at a similar time to when Dr Yunupingu passed, and we saw it as a good point to re-examine and look at what was the best way to have a platform to recognise a number of key individuals who have made contributions to the scene, and recognise them in an awards format.”

For Glenda, it’s important her father’s legacy lives on.

“It is time to recognise his life and passion for cross-cultural respect between indigenous and non-indigenous people in Australia,” she said.

“George Rrurrambu was a proud indigenous man, who shared his cultural values in music and in everyday life; he made mistakes, just as any of us do, and worked hard to fix them ... His nerrbu (message) about justice for the indigenous peoples of Australia and cross-cultural learning, which he truly believed in, will always be told on his behalf through his many family members.

“Releasing my father’s name, George Rrurrambu Burarrawanga, from indigenous mourning might also bring us, his children, together from each of his three wives, and united we will remind the world how important he was and is. We will make sure his life continues, not only in our memories, but for all Australian people to remember, because he had a big impact on both mainstream music, indigenous music and the political scene in Australia.”