Yothu Yindi celebrate 30 years of rock history with new official history

Members of legendary Territory outfit Yothu Yindi will celebrate 30 years since their iconic anthem, Treaty, tore up the charts with a special performance at the NT Library on Wednesday night.

Author Matt Garrick and Yothu Yindi co-founder Wityana Marika are in town for the launch of the band’s authorised biography Writing in The Sand. Picture: Glenn Campbell

MEMBERS of legendary Territory outfit Yothu Yindi will celebrate 30 years since their iconic anthem, Treaty, tore up the charts with a special performance at the NT Library on Wednesday night.

The milestone also coincides with the launch of the band’s official history as told to authorised biographer, Matt Garrick, who will be on hand for a book signing and Q and A with the rock royals.

Writing in the Sand tells for the first time the full story of the legendary Territory troubadours’ journey to the top of the Australian music scene and the making of their biggest hit.

Yothu Yindi co-founder, Witiyana Marika, said the new book was a chance to share his life’s journey with the world, while paying tribute to the band’s late lead singer, Mandawuy Yunupingu.

“He was the fire, the flame, and I was the spark,” he said.

“This book shows how we’ve been travelling the world for more than thirty years — and we’re still here. We were the remarkable, powerful performers that brought our power onto the stage.”

But Marika said the occasion would also be bittersweet, noting that after 30 years since Treaty’s release, little progress had been made on making the song’s vision a reality.

“Thirty years since that powerful work, there’s nothing, even though there’s treaties in Canada, New Zealand and elsewhere,” he said. “But for the world’s oldest living culture – nothing yet.”

“This government’s first agenda should be Indigenous people and what they need, and putting them in the Constitution. Our own Constitution should be recognised by our government.

“We want to see a treaty and we want to see Makarraṯa (peace-making) for every traditional owner across Australia.”

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the event has sold out but fans will still be able to meet the author at a book signing at The Bookshop Darwin on Thursday between 10am and midday.