Having accomplished feats that most Australian artists could never dream of such as performing for The Queen of England’s Silver Jubilee and also exclusively for US President Barack Obama, Gurrumul Yunupingu looks set to have a huge 2013.
Having already played Festival Of The Voice on Australia Day and with a slot at The Port Fairy Music Festival coming up in March, the Indigenous singer songwriter has a lot to look forward to.
The two-time ARIA winning singer has now been announced as one of the headlining acts for The Barunga Festival, taking place over four days in June.
The festival’s emphasis lies in celebrating facets of indigenous culture which are otherwise forgotten and with connecting its punters to some traditional art forms and past times.
Barunga Festival officially began in 1985 in the remote Aboriginal community of Bamyilli. It is held annually on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend in June.
The 2011 incarnation of the festival saw didgeridoo-making, basket-weaving and bush medicine-formulating demonstrations as well as a number of local acts performing traditional and modern Australian songs.
Barunga is a community about 80km southeast of Katherine, in Jawoyn country.
The fetsival came close to collapse last year after a decade of ever changing management but was saved at the last minute with the help of Indigenous music company SkinnyFish who promised to put on the festival for at least five years.
The festival’s booker, Skinnyfish director Mark Grose divulged that they’re very excited to have Gurumul perform, reports NT News.
“Every year, Gurrumul asks, ‘Can I perform at Barunga?’ and at last we can make it happen,” Grose said.
The good news comes after an unfortunate incident for the singer which took place late last year.Gurrumul was snubbed by a taxi on the basis of “the color of his skin.”
Support instantly flooded in with musicians and artists voicing their outrage and disappointment with the actions of the Melbourne cabbie who refused service to the performer following a performance at St Kilda’s Palais Theatre.
Barunga Festival 2013
June 7th – 10th
Barunga Community, NT
Tickets available via Moshtix
$30 for adults and $20 for under 18s.
