Mandawuy Yunupingu (b. 1956 )
1992 Award

Aboriginal Ambassador

Yunupingu, younger brother of Galarrwuy, gained a Bachelor of Education in 1987 and became the first Aboriginal principal in Australia at Yirrkala school in 1990. There he developed a curriculum which incorporated both white and Aboriginal knowledge traditions. He founded the internationally acclaimed band Yothu Yindi in 1986, a vehicle for important political messages about Aboriginal life, land rights and education through a blend of traditional Aboriginal and Western rock music. Yunupingu hopes to foster 'a more balanced co-existence' between black and white Australians. His award recognises his contribution as 'an outstanding ambassador for Aboriginal people and their achievements and for Australia as a whole' and his role in 'building bridges of understanding between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people'.

The then Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Robert Tickner MP, declared that his award 'during the International Year of Indigenous People will speak volumes to people throughout the world about this country's commitment to change'. Yunupingu intended to use the award to publicise Aboriginal issues on a national level.