Mr. Mununggurr

Date of Birth 21.11.66
Moiety - Dhuwa
Clan - Djapu
Clan language - Dhuwal
Homeland - Wandawuy

15 July 2007

We are extremely upset to announce the passing of Mr. Mununggurr.
Please send prayers for his family and remember him well.

Milkayngu Mununggurr is a Djapu man from Wandawuy in Northeast Arnhem Land, child of Mutitjpuy Mununggurr, one of the painters of the Yirrkala church panels, and Gulumbu Yunupingu, whose impressive paintings of the heavens earned her the first prize at the 2004 Telstra National Aboriginal & Torres Strait islander Art Awards. Milkay first came to the attention of the worldwide music scene as one of the original members of the band Yothu Yindi, along with his uncle, Mandawuy Yunupingu (hence the name "Yothu Yindi," referring to the relationship between the two men and their clans). Milkay's amazing yidaki playing wowed audiences around the world and continues to be an inspiration to non-Yolngu didjeridu players attempting to learn Yolngu styles of play. He is staying closer to home these days, but on occasion has travelled to perform and teach yidaki overseas, and has co-taught the Yidaki Master Class with Djalu Gurruwiwi at the annual Garma Festival in Northeast Arnhem Land for several years. Milkay has released the instructional CD Hard Tongue Didgeridoo through the art centre. Following are excerpts from a 2004 interview with Milkay at Buku-Larrnggay.

I think I started playing yidaki when I was about 6 or 7 but my mum always tells me that I was about 5. Maybe she's right, because she's older than me. Yeah. But I didn't actually start playing yidaki with a dharpa (wooden stick), with a proper yidaki, I started off playing with a pipe, just a waterpipe, what do you call it - PVC. That's how I started. It was actually, by looking at people, yidaki players, people like Galarrwuy, my uncle, Galarrwuy Yunupingu, now the chairman of the Northern Land Council, and his other brother, Mulung. I can only name a handful, not many. The ones that I know that were inspiration for me. Then after that I heard Burrngupurrngu and Djalawu play. After my dhapi (initiation). Yow, went to Gängan. That's where I got that proper yidaki. My old man made it for me. And he called that yidaki Gudurrku (Brolga). It was my first yidaki, proper one. Playing yidaki all the time. When I was at Gängan, I was playing everyday. When I was going out hunting, I was playing with my... just making mouth sounds. "Dith-dhirrl dith-dhirrl," following my old man hunting. Before bedtime, playing. Then ngorra (lie down to sleep). Next day, before breakfast, yidaki first. Yuwalk (true).

I just want to say that people should respect yidaki. Because of where it comes from, where it originated. Don't make it or use it for bad reasons. Respect it. Don't make fun of it. Play for fun, to entertain. Use it, and keep it, and respect it always.