MARCIA LANGTON & MANDAWUY YUNUPINGU

Edited transcript of the Live Chat with Marcia Langton & Mandawuy Yunupingu, on the 6th September 2000.

Interviewer: We welcome Marcia Langton to telstra chat - Marcia is an academic from the University of Melbourne, Geography dept. She's also the Chair of Australian Indigenous studies at the University of Melbourne. Hi there Marcia, how are you ?
Marcia Langton: I'm very good thank you!

Interviewer: What is your involvement in Garma ?
Marcia Langton: Prior to my appointment at the University of Melbourne, I was the Chair of Aboriginal Studies at the University of Northern Territory. I set up a research and teaching centre - the centre for Indigenous resource and culture management. Because of Mandawuy Yunupingu's involvement in education and the establishment of the Yothu Yindi foundation with the clans of North East Arnhem land, I asked him to be on the board of the centre, so we discovered over those 4 years that we had very similar roles, and that was to involve aboriginal people in research and teaching to ensure that aboriginal knowledge systems are preserved and respected. Then Mandawuy and his older brother Galarrwuy, asked me to become involved in the Yothu Yindi foundation....... and to become involved in the Garma Festival was exactly the goal that I've been working towards. It is the acknowledgement of aboriginal knowledge systems by Universities and educational systems. So, with other people, such as Professor Nassi Williams, Greg Wearne and Undrish St Clair, Dr. Rob Pettitt, Dr. David Bowman - we came to Garma last year and we ran a bush university here! We gave seminars every morning on the research projects that involved Yolngu people, and university scientists, anthropologists, linguists - brought an extraordinary amount of material on Yolngu people that exists here. There are dictionaries, a cd rom of Yolngu literature, produced by Dr. Michael Christie, there are major accounts of Yolngu history both in literary and multimedia forms, so then the challenge put to us was to produce a statement that could be taken to the Universities of Australia, with a message stick that he made, called the Garma Maak. Galarrwuy organised a ceremony here last year and the Maak was given to Kim Beasley, Kim ritually passsed it on to me at that ceremony, and I took it to the Australian Vice-Chancellor's committee. The Maak has carvings on it of the fire dreaming of the Gulwach clan. The Australian vice-chancellor's commitee accepted the Maak and sent a major delegation here last November. At this Garma festival, members of the committee are attending, along with the indigenous scholars from all of the Australian universities, and Galarrwuy has asked them to discuss the incorporation of indigenous knowledge in the university systems, and the future of aboriginal youth. At the end of each days sessions, the Garma ceremony begins and then Galarrwuy explains the meaning of the ceremony to all the participants here.

Interviewer: What do you want to get out of the festival ?
Marcia Langton: We want to see the incorporation of aboriginal knowledge systems into the curriculum of Australian universities, colleges and schools. We don't want our intellectual traditions to be ignored any longer - and we want them to be treated with respect in educational institutions.

Interviewer: cm: Marcia, would you call Yolngu culture the leading aboriginal culture in Australia and are they as highly regarded amongst other aboriginal cultures in this country ?
Marcia Langton: I don't think they're making a claim like that - the point is this, the Garma ceremony requires of the people who participate that they achieve balance and harmony in the world, and share their knowledge with others. And that's what the festival is really about - sharing Yolngu knowledge with other people, and in particular this year, to ask people to think about, how we can all share our knowledge, and give the youth a future to look forward to.

Interviewer: What has stood out for you at the festival so far ?
Marcia Langton: Well there's been an extraordinary turn-up - people have turned up from all over the country, and it is as Galarrwuy says, that the message which was a little spark at first has turned into a fire!

Interviewer: Thank you Marcia for your time, we wish you all the best in the future and every success with your work.
Marcia Langton: I hope that people are able to attend the Garma festival one day, and thank you very much for taking an interest. Keep an eye on the Garma festival, because some very interesting developments will come from this event over the coming years!

Interviewer: Marcia has left to pick her daughter up from the airport. Our roving reporter in Arnhem Land is trying to track Mandawuy Yunupingu down at the moment, but he should be here to join us in the next few minutes. Stay around and feel free to put questions through for Mandawuy!

Interviewer: We now welcome Mandawuy Yunupingu to Telstra chat, Mandawuy is the lead singer and songwriter of indigenous band Yothu Yindi - he was also named the 1992 Australian of the Year for his services to the aboriginal community. Hi there Mandawuy, how are you ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: I'm really good - I really appreciate having the chance to share this experience....

Interviewer: What are you hoping to achieve at Garma 2000 ?

Mandawuy Yunupingu: At Garma 2000 we're trying to achieve a partnership between the whole indigenous networks within Australia, and also to create a partnership with the Universities, and voice our opinion for change!

Interviewer: How would you describe the mood at the festival so far ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: The mood of the festival so far is just full of energy, we've had lots of discussion and dialogues. The dialogue is from positive, common grounds that connects indigenous people. And the mood is about fun and happiness.......

Interviewer: Have you done any performances at the festival ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: I haven't done any performances just yet - Yothu Yindi is going to perform on Saturday. I've been involved in talks so far - about education and health issues.

Interviewer: What has been the highlight of the festival for you so far ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: The highlight of the festival for me has been a group of people from Central Arnhem land, they performed their song and dance today at the festival before supper - uplifting to see other communities come and perform for us! And strengthen the Garma philosophy.......

Interviewer: What activities have you been involved in today ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Today I was involved in opening, being speaker, on education.... and also I spoke about education and health at a health forum. For me the main issues were aboriginal indigenous education, having the knowledge to turn around aspects of indigenous education, in an indigenous way - that runs parallel with the Western system.

Interviewer: There seems to be a relation between education and indigenous health issues. Do you have any comments on this ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: I think they're what I call partners, in terms of partnership between education and health, because the two run parallel in the strength we're looking for to become a healthy culture - spiritually and otherwise.

Interviewer: I understand you recently met Nelson Mandela - what was that like for you ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: For me it was a wonderful experience to have met Nelson Mandela for the first time, and I guess he empowered me to come to that awareness of..... just human dignity, a freedom fighter for human rights - that's what I felt when I met him. To hear him talk was really empowering.

Interviewer: Can you tell us about your invitation to East Timor ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Yeah, that invitation came from Xunana Gusmao - the freedom fighter from East Timor, and the man in front of indigenous changes happening over there. We did a gig there the other night and I was really impressed with the turn up - there was about 10,000 people, and we brought a smile to his face.

Interviewer: Do you think Yothu Yindi and their music have achieved alot for the indiginous people of Australia ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Yothu Yindi is the voice of indigenous Australia, for indigenous Australia!

Interviewer: cm: Mandawuy, Yothu Yindi has enjoyed a great success in Australia, do you think there will be more aboriginal bands as a result of it, and do they stand the chance with the recording companies ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Well there's a number of aboriginal bands that have performed since we've become known, I think they're heading in the right direction. There's more openness in the music industry, so they have the chance of signing with the labels - we aren't actually signed to a label! But yeah, and be successful in their careers.

Interviewer: Has it been hard to be accepted as an indigenous performer in Australia ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Well it has had it's history in the past, but I think in general we've done it the right way, in terms of general acceptance from the community.

Interviewer: How does it feel to be the ones who broke indiginous bands into the Australian popular music scene ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: It feels that I've done service to community and to my people, and I feel that indigenous music could be part of the Australian 'scene'.

Interviewer: What can we expect to see in the future from Yothu Yindi or yourself ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Well we have just completed an album called 'Garma' and we're just about to tour Australia, which will bring us into the Olympic celebrations, into the opening of the Paralympics, and then a national tour before Christmas! What you can expect from the album, is we've changed somewhat - in terms of music..... we carry the same genre, which writes traditional and contemporary sounds - and you'll know what I mean when you buy it!!

Interviewer: cm: You have performed with a number of non-indigenous musicians - was it to make the acceptance amongst the non-indigenous Australians a smoother experience ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: It's been a great experience for me to have worked with non-indigenous Australian artists - to name a few, I worked with Peter Garrett, Andrew Farriss who's produced this latest album, Neil Finn...... and many others. It's great to exchange ideas and learn from one other - when I mix with other people, it's always an exchange.

Interviewer: Have there been many promising indigenous performers at the festival ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Um, well we haven't had any people coming in, as in a western band or anything - this is all about traditional presentation, so I can't really answer this as there hasn't been any indigenous 'bands' coming up.

Interviewer: JOL: Do you find now that you are famous you don't experience prejudice from the so called "white society in Australia"?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: I guess I feel it for others, so I still feel it. It's a kind of institutionalised notion, and that's what I fight for - to have some sort of understanding. But I still do experience that prejudice on occasion, and even if I don't - I feel it through other aboriginal people.

Interviewer: Has there been much prejudice in your time as a performer ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Well as a performer, I think, in the early days - in this formation, we experienced prejudice and discrimination. One example was in St. Kilda in Melbourne - where I was refused a drink at the bar - but I took it to the nation and the nation stood up and made that person come and explain - and he did eventually. That was something that was arranged, particularly by my family, for him to apologise on national TV. Otherwise I would have taken him to court and won!! (laugh)

Interviewer: With the Garma festival in mind and what it stands for, can you see a future where aboriginal culture is taught in the Australian education system ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: It most likely will - and I'm positive of that - we're heading towards that kind of education, and the source of knowledge that Garma stands for - Garma is the source! So, it's from that source we draw and empower ourselves, so that is education....... and will be education.

Interviewer: Where abouts in Australia are you originally from ? Are there many Aboriginal subcultures(tribes) in that region(community) ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Well I come from a place called Ulunguy - and it's a community that has about 16 languages... we're situated on the north east coast - north east Arnhem land, and we also have connection with the western Arnhem land people as well. There's 16 language speaking tribes and all of them speaking different languages.

Interviewer: Karina: Wouldn't total equality be better, if we could all be equal there would be no predjudice ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: That's true - that's what we're working on at Garma!

Interviewer: cm: Mandawuy, some aboriginal groups are going to use Sydney Olympics to voice their issues - do you think it is a right thing to do and do you think it has potential for more tense relations between your people and the government ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Well Australia is a democratic country and everybody has the right to do what they want to do - protest is one of those rights. What our people are going to be doing will be a non-violent scenario, which hopefully will keep things from getting tense. I mean Yothu Yindi's going to be doing that anyway - at the centre level - reminding people! Using music as the weapon.

Interviewer: Do you think that Cathy Freeman has done alot for the indigenous people of Australia by voicing her opinion and her status through her athletics career ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: I think she's done everyone service in Australia - that's all I can say about Cathy - she's the best!

Interviewer: cm: Will you be watching Cathy Freeman trying to win an Olympic gold ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Well - I'll be right there - right at the stadium and watching that wonderful view.

Interviewer: Karina: Mandawuy Yunupingu - can someone in your position push for total equality ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Well I will need your help to push that - because if you believe in it, we can do it together.

Interviewer: Karina: How can average people help Mandawuy Yunupingu ?
Mandawuy Yunupingu: I guess by being close to the intent of where it is - and how we can bring it about, whether it be in life or whether it be in spirit - sticking to the intent.

Interviewer: Thank you Mandawuy for your time, all the best in the future.
Mandawuy Yunupingu: Thank you too - and keep your eyes on Garma - yomanymak