Who are
the Yol\u?
Yol\u are the indigenous inhabitants of roughly the
northeastern third of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia.
Today, the majority of
Yol\u
live
in the
communities
of Milingimbi, Ramingining, Galiwin'ku, Gapuwiyak, and Yirrkala, and
many others live at “outstations,” which are smaller, more
remote communities situated on important homelands belonging to different
clans.
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| Arnhem Land, with the boundary of the Yol\u cultural area roughly marked by the red line. |
More than thirty different clans, each with their own language, make up the Yol\u people. It is only since European contact that there has even been a need for one name to refer to all Yol\u. Many anthropologists came up with different names, but in the mid to late twentieth century, Yol\u, which simply means “Aboriginal Person” in the local languages, became the accepted name for the people of the region.
The Yol\u who participated in this website come from the Miwatj and
Laynha areas, the far east or “sunrise side” of Yol\u country,
with the township of Yirrkala as the largest community supporting the
approximately 25 outstations within a 250km radius. Clans represented
are the G^lpu, Rirratji\u, Gumatj, Wangurri, D^=iwuy, |aymil,
Dhalwa\u,
Djapu, Dhudi-Djapu, Madarrpa, Ma\galili, Munyuku, Marrakulu,
Djarrwark, Golumala, Djambarrpuy\u, Gupapuy\u and Warramiri.
click images to enlarge
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 |
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| Djambawa Marawili of the Madarrpa
clan at their homeland of Yilpara. |
Dhalwa\u clan leader Gawirrin Gumana at home at G^ngan. |
Djalu' Gurruwiwi at his G^lpu clan land at Gikal. |
Sometimes the word Yol\u is applied by Yol\u to other Aboriginals from different areas, but these other Aboriginals do not use the word to describe themselves. It should be noted that there are well known didjeridu players and craftsmen from Arnhem Land who are not Yol\u. One of the best known is the recently deceased David Blanasi, a Miali man who lived in Wugularr at the southwestern edge of Arnhem Land, spoke a totally different language that did not include the words Yol\u or yidaki, and played the didjeridu in a very different style than the Yol\u do. His work is being carried on by the White Cockatoo Performing Group, now based around Maningrida, another community outside the Yol\u cultural area, where different languages are spoken, and different song and dance is practiced.
There are two words for non-Yol\u people that will be used on this website. |^paki is currently used most in the Miwatj, replacing the better known word Balanda which resembles the name of a deceased person. It is customary not to use the name, or words that sound like the name of a recently deceased person, sometimes for many years. Yol\u from further west still primarily use the word Balanda.
Some Yol\u yidaki craftsmen, painters and players
from the Miwatj and Laynha whom you may have heard of are listed below,
with their clan affiliations. Links are provided for those who have biographies
on Buku-Larr\gay Mulka's website.
Mirarra Burarrwa\a (Gumatj) BIO |
|
 Mal\ay Yunupi\u |
 Djakapurra Munyarryun |
 Ngongu Ganambarr |
The above are all men. Some women who have gained reknown for crafting, and more often painting didjeridus are: Milminyina Dhamarrandji (Djambarrpuy\u) BIO |
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all material copyright 2006 Buku-Larr\gay Mulka Centre & the Yol\u individuals and clans concerned
