Editing Yothu Yindi (section)

===1986–1990: Early years===
Swamp Jockeys were formed in 1985 by ''balanda'' (European/non-Aboriginal people) Todd Williams songwriter and lead singer, Michael Wyatt, songwriter and lead singer, Andrew Belletty on drums, Stuart Kellaway on bass guitar and Cal Williams on lead guitar.<ref name="ARDb"/> On their tour of [[Arnhem Land]], in Australia's [[Northern Territory]], they were supported by a [[Yolngu]] band composed of Witiyana Marika on ''manikay'' (traditional vocals), ''bilma'' (ironwood [[clapstick]]s) and dance, Milkayngu Mununggurr on ''yidaki'' ([[didgeridoo]]), [[Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu|Gurrumul 'The Guru' Yunupingu]] on keyboards, guitar and percussion, and [[Mandawuy Yunupingu|Bakamana Yunupingu]] on vocals and guitar. They united to form Yothu Yindi (pronounced {{IPAc-en|ˌ|j|ɒ|θ|uː|_|ˈ|j|ɪ|n|d|iː}}).<ref name="McF">{{cite book |title=[[Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop]] |last=McFarlane |first=Ian |author-link=Ian McFarlane |publisher=[[Allen & Unwin]] |year=1999 |chapter=Encyclopedia entry for 'Yothu Yindi' |chapter-url=http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=800 |isbn=1-86448-768-2 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20040930230809/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=800|access-date=4 November 2008 |archive-date= 30 September 2004}}</ref><ref name="ARDb">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927020038/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/y/yothuyindi.html |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/y/yothuyindi.html |title=Yothu Yindi |publisher=[[Australian Rock Database]]. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren) |last1=Holmgren |first1=Magnus |last2=Warnqvist |first2=Stefan |archive-date=27 September 2012 |url-status=usurped |access-date=12 February 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Howl">{{cite web |archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20120726191200/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/14231/20120727-0512/www.howlspace.com.au/en/yothuyindi/yothuyindi.htm |url=http://www.whiteroom.com.au/howlspace/en/yothuyindi/yothuyindi.htm |title=Yothu Yindi |publisher=HowlSpace |editor-first=Ed |editor-last=Nimmervoll |editor-link=Ed Nimmervoll |archive-date=26 July 2012 |access-date=22 January 2014 }}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> ''Yothu yindi'' is a [[Yolngu Matha|Yolngu ''matha'']] (Yolngu language) kinship term for "child and mother".

The band combines aspects of both musical cultures. Their sound varies from traditional Aboriginal songs to modern pop and rock songs in which they blend the typical instruments of pop/rock bands, such as guitars and drums, with the traditional [[yidaki]] and [[bilma]]. They have adapted traditional Yolngu dance performances to accompany their music. More broadly they promote mutual respect and understanding of different cultures.<ref name="McF" /><ref name="Howl" /> Michael Wyatt, from the Swamp Jockeys, went on to become Yothu Yindi's pilot and with Stephen Johnson made Yothu Yindi's multiple award winning music video clips. He was also stage manager on Australian tours and their tour to the New York's World Music festival.

Bakamana Yunupingu was a tertiary student studying to become a teacher. He became principal at his own [[Yirrkala, Northern Territory|Yirrkala]] Community School, and touring by Yothu Yindi was restricted to school holidays in the band's early years.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Howl"/> In August 1988 they performed in [[Townsville]], Queensland, at the South Pacific Festival of Arts. The next month they represented Australia in [[Seoul, South Korea]] at the Cultural Olympics. [[Bart Willoughby]] (ex-[[No Fixed Address (band)|No Fixed Address]], [[Coloured Stone]]) joined on drums in late 1988 and Yothu Yindi toured USA and Canada as support act to [[Midnight Oil]]. Upon their return to Australia, they were signed to [[Mushroom Records]], and with Leszek Karski (ex-Supercharge) producing, recorded their debut single "Mainstream", released in March 1989. It was followed by debut album ''[[Homeland Movement (album)|Homeland Movement]]'' in May; a second single "[[Djäpana|Djäpana (Sunset Dreaming)]]" was released in August.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="ARDb"/> Neither their singles nor album had any major chart success.<ref name="AusCharts">Peaks of albums in Australia: The award-winning film clip was made by Michael Wyatt and Stephen Johnson of Burrundi Pictures.* All except noted: {{cite web|url=http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Yothu+Yindi |title=Yothu Yindi discography |publisher=Australian Charts Portal |access-date=4 November 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090512180827/http://australian-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Yothu+Yindi |archive-date=12 May 2009 |df=dmy }}* ''Homeland Movement'', ''Birrkuta – Wild Honey'' and ''Garma'': {{cite Ryan|page=307}}</ref> Yothu Yindi toured with [[Neil Young]] in Australia, then head-lined in Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong. In 1990 they toured New Zealand with [[Tracy Chapman]], and then performed in festivals in the UK.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Howl"/> In 1990 five clans of the Yolngu formed the Yothu Yindi Foundation to promote Yulngu cultural development.<ref name="YYF">{{cite web |url=http://www.garma.telstra.com/yy_foundation.htm |title=Yothu Yindi Foundation |publisher=garma.telstra.com |access-date=6 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001109232000/http://www.garma.telstra.com/yy_foundation.htm |archive-date=9 November 2000 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="Heal">{{cite web |url=http://www.healingplace.com.au/yyf.html |title=Yothu Yindi Foundation |publisher=The Healing Place Dilthan Yolngunha |access-date=7 November 2008 }}</ref> Chairman of the foundation was Galarrwuy Yunupingu,<ref name="Heal"/> Mandawuy's older brother, a Yolngu clan leader and sometimes a member of Yothu Yindi on ''bilma'' and guitar.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Howl"/><ref name="YYF"/> Galarrwuy had been named [[Australian of the Year]] in 1978 for his work for Aboriginal communities.<ref name="Heal"/> Around this time, a relative of Bakamana who bore the same name died, and he therefore changed his first name to Mandawuy, in line with Yolngu tradition.

The band commissioned their friend and relative (married to Gurrumul's sister), master yiḏaki-maker [[Djalu Gurruwiwi]], to make their didgeridoos, which also brought his skills to the attention of the world.<ref>{{cite web | title=Djalu Gurruwiwi | website=iDIDJ Australia | url=https://www.ididj.com.au/djalu-gurruwiwi/ | access-date=20 January 2020}}</ref>