Witiyana Marika facts for kids

Witiyana Marika is an Aboriginal Australian musician, filmmaker, and important elder. He is well-known for helping start the famous band Yothu Yindi and for producing the film High Ground.

Early Life and Family Connections

Witiyana Marika was born into the Rirratjingu clan of the Yolngu people. His home is in Arnhem Land, a special area in the Northern Territory of Australia. He grew up in a place called Yirrkala.

He is part of the important Marika family. His mother, Ms. D. (Djerrkngu) Eunice Yunupingu, was a famous artist. Her sisters, including Gulumbu Yunupingu, Barrupu Yunupingu, and Nancy Gaymala Yunupingu, were also talented artists. Witiyana Marika is also connected to the actor David Gulpilil, who was like a father to him through traditional Yolngu law.

Music Journey

Witiyana Marika was one of the first members of the band Yothu Yindi when it began in 1986. He sang in a traditional style, performing special clan songs of the Yolngu people called manikay. He also played clapsticks, which are traditional musical instruments, and performed traditional dances.

Later, in 2017, he joined a new version of the band called Yothu Yindi & The Treaty Project. He played alongside other long-time members and new musicians, including his own son, Yirrmal. This new band performed live concerts all over Australia until 2019.

Making Films

Witiyana Marika played a big part in the film High Ground. He acted in the movie as the grandfather. He was also a co-producer and a senior cultural advisor. This means he helped make sure the film was true to Aboriginal culture and history.

The film took about 20 years to create and is based on real events from the past. It was directed by Stephen Maxwell Johnson, who has been Witiyana Marika's friend since 1989. Stephen also directed the music video for Yothu Yindi's song "Djäpana", which won an award.

It was very important to Witiyana Marika to be involved in this film. He wanted to help teach people across Australia about sad parts of history, like the massacres and violence that happened long ago. When he was a teenager, his grandfather taught him about a terrible event where many people from his grandmother’s clan were killed. He later learned more about this event with his friend and cousin, Dr M. Yunupingu. The film shows a trick used by two men who survived this event by hiding in water and breathing through rushes. A young boy in the film uses a similar trick.

Witiyana Marika said that the film was a way to share his people's stories with the world, just like Yothu Yindi shared their music. He was very important in helping the filmmakers, who were mostly non-Aboriginal (called "balanda"), work well with the traditional owners of the land where the film was made. This included places like Cannon Hill, Gunbalanya, and Gunlom, where special permission was needed to film.

Community Leadership

Witiyana Marika is a respected elder in the Rirratjingu clan. He is also a senior leader for important traditional ceremonies. He teaches about songlines and ceremonies to his clan and community.

He has also worked to help people from different cultures understand each other. He has given talks to businesses and universities about cross-cultural education. He used to be in charge of the Aboriginal Resource Development Services (ARDS) and the Buku-Larrngay Mulka Arts Centre Committee. He also led the Dhimurru Land Management group.

In 2021, he directed the Yarrapay Festival at Buku-Larrngay, where he also performed with Yothu Yindi.

Family Life

Witiyana Marika has two wives, which is a common tradition among Yolngu people. This custom helps to create larger clans and stronger families. Marika says that the women are treated equally and that growing up in a big extended family has many good benefits.

The blues singer Yirrmal is Witiyana Marika's son.