The Northern Territory state funeral for the former
lead singer of Yothu Yindi, Mr Yunupingu, will be held at the site of
the annual Garma Festival in Arnhem Land.
The funeral will be held at Gulkula, about 40 kilometres north of Nhulunbuy, on the morning of Sunday, June 30.The Northern Land Council says permits will not be required to attend the funeral service at the festival site, about 1,000 kilometres east of Darwin.
The Territory Government says individuals, schools or other organisations wanting to attend in an official capacity should contact the Northern Territory Protocol Office by Wednesday of next week.
It says condolence messages can be sent to the Yothu Yindi Foundation.
Chief Minister Adam Giles has described Mr Yunupingu as an outstanding Australian, a musician of international repute, the first Indigenous person from Arnhem Land to gain a university degree and the Territory's first Aboriginal school principal.
The former Australian of the Year died earlier this month, aged 56.
He had been fighting kidney disease for several years.
Mr Yunupingu co-founded Yothu Yindi in 1986, and was the band's lead singer and most prominent personality.
Yothu Yindi won eight ARIA music awards, including Song of the Year in 1992 for Treaty.
The four-day Garma Festival, which is hosted by the Yothu Yindi Foundation, will be held from Friday August 9 to Monday August 12.
A cultural celebration, it also provides an important forum for Indigenous issues.
No comments:
Post a Comment