Cultural liaison for the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre and avid support of AFLNT's program in Galiwin'ku Gurrumul Yunipingu unveils the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation to assist indigenous youth to achieve success.
Named today at the top of the Australian Financial Review’s Cultural Power list, Gurrumul Yunupingu has officially launched the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation.
Gurrumul Yunupingu is an internationally recognised singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist who is a powerful role model for young Indigenous people. Adding to a long list of incredible career achievements, he has now fostered the development of a foundation that will continue supporting a legacy of Aboriginal knowledge, achievement and opportunity.
The Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation’s vision is to provide indigenous youth (particularly those in remote communities) with opportunities to participate and achieve success. It will fulfill its goals through supporting activities that target young people, assisting them to discover and build on their strengths, develop greater personal skills, and deliver meaningful and relevant opportunities - helping to find pride and place as future leaders in their communities. Building on the strength of traditional culture, artistic skill and love of sport, Gurrumul’s foundation looks to support programs in these areas over a sustained period of time. The Foundation was conceived by Gurrumul while overseas in early 2012.
"Gurrumul came to us when we were in the US in early 2012 and wanted to discuss his idea," said friend, musical collaborator and foundation board member Michael Hohnen. "In the previous twelve months we’d released his second platinum album, met the Queen, toured the world and were soon to perform for and meet Barack Obama. Gurrumul questioned us on why he had these opportunities while so many Yolngu struggled to find a quality path in mainstream life."
The first pledge of support for the Foundation has come from Delta Goodrem, musicians of the Sydney Symphony and Gurrumul himself who collaborated to perform and record ‘Bayini Live’ on ‘The Voice’ earlier this year.
The single ‘Bayini Live’ was the first top five hit ever in an Indigenous language and all proceeds from downloads are donated to the Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation. The Gurrumul Yunupingu Foundation is planning launch activities to be held around Australia in early 2014 and is welcoming founding philanthropic supporters. To donate visit: www.gurrumulfoundation.org.au
For more information, contact Executive Officer Penelope Arrow on admin@gurrumulfoundation.org.au or 08 8941 9066 To purchase your copy of Bayini Live and support the Foundation go to -:
https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/bayini-live-single/id656511486
Australian Financial Review's Culture Power List 2013:
http://www.afr.com/p/lifestyle/afrmagazine/cultural_power_NWh5LBr9Bvp9b…