Abstract
Joseph Neparrŋa Gumbula (1954–2015) had an atypical scholarly trajectory. Born into a long line of Yolŋu leaders in the remote town of Milingimbi in the Arnhem Land Aboriginal Reverse, he left school in his mid-teens for the neighbouring town of Galiwin’ku in 1971, where he joined the country and gospel band, Soft Sands, as a singer and guitarist. Through his passion for making music and admission to Yolŋu ritual leadership in 1997, Gumbula discovered a new calling in researching the documented legacy of his family history in ethnographic collections around the world. This pursuit set him on an unprecedented path towards leading national research grants supported by fellowships at various universities. His research would return to Arnhem Land rare and precious ethnographic materials dating back as far as the edge of living memory in 1920s, and exemplify how Indigenous heritage collections can be grown, managed and made accessible with broad benefits. Paralleling the emergence of affordable digital media technologies, his research interests progressed accordingly from isolated local databases to clouded mobile delivery platforms. The interdisciplinary networks that Gumbula built were far reaching and have left lasting impacts. In this article, I expand upon my Gumbula Memorial Lecture for the 2017 Information Technologies and Indigenous Communities (ITIC) Symposium in Melbourne to explore how Gumbula challenged his students and colleagues to think and work beyond the conventions of disciplinary and professional methodologies, thereby transforming our understandings of knowledge itself and encouraging us to act as proactive agents in the world.
Appendix. Lyrics from Djiliwirri (Gumbula, dir.) translated from the Gupapuyŋu patrilect of Yolŋu-matha to English by Joseph Neparrŋa Gumbula and Aaron Corn in Sydney on 4/26/6
| Introduction (Chorale) | (Mum’mum, ….) Gä (Bubbling water, …) Aim |
| Ŋunhi bili muka, dhuwala reŋgitjtja | |
| Exactly the same indeed, this here ceremonial alliance ground | |
| Ŋunhi, ŋayi ganha watthurrunha, lakaranhaminha “Djirriŋgay Wäpana” | |
| There, it was calling, proclaiming “the Paperbark Tree” | |
| Dhukun-bumarra (Gä) ŋarranha, ŋayi Burralanha (Wa!) | |
| Bark and Splinters struck (Aim) from me, the Paperbark Tree (Strike!) | |
| (Gä) Dhukun-bumarra ŋarranha ŋayi, Burralanha (Wa!), ŋarranha | |
| (Aim) Bark and Splinters it struck from me, the Paperbark Tree (Strike!), from me | |
| Yambuŋala, ŋayi ŋarranha Wukulu Djirrwarryurrunha (Gä) Bunbun Giyalgiyal Ŋulumu Yarrayarra (Wa!) Wadulwadul (Gä) | |
| The Lance, it is thrust into me by my (Aim) Women’s Children (Strike!) | |
| Dhukun-bumarra (Wa!) ŋarranha, ŋayi Djirriŋgay Wäpana Malulay Gubarraytja Djirriŋgay Wäpana (Gä) | |
| Bark and Splinters struck (Strike!) from me, the Paperbark Tree (Aim) | |
| Wo, (Wa!) Gaykamaŋu | |
| Oh, (Strike!) Honey of the Daygurrgurr Gupapuyŋu clan | |
| Verse 1 | Ŋarra ganha nhinana, Ganbirrŋura |
| I was sitting at the Beehive | |
| Ŋunhiliyi, wäŋiya Gurŋan Yalundu | |
| There, in the country at the Beehive | |
| Rirrakay ŋarra ŋäkula watthunawuy | |
| I heard a voice calling | |
| Ŋunhili, “Djirranygay Wäpana” | |
| There, “the Paperbark Tree” | |
| Ŋayinydja waŋana lakaranhamina | |
| The country, it proclaimed | |
| “Ŋarranydja likan Gaykamaŋu,” wo wo | |
| “I am Honey of the Daygurrgurr Gupapuyŋu branch,” oh oh | |
| Chorus 1 | Wa! Djiliwirri ganha dhärranhana, wäŋa limurruŋgu |
| (…) Djiliwirri is standing, home for us all | |
| Galŋa ŋarranha, Yambuŋala Ganinydhu | |
| Into my bark, the Lance | |
| Likandja ŋarraWarragadi Diwuthurru Marrilama | |
| I am of the Paperbark Tree branch | |
| Mayku Rarrathirri Djirriŋgay Wäpana | |
| The Paperbark Tree | |
| Bridge | Wa! [× 3] |
| (…) [× 3] | |
| Verse 2 | Ŋayinydja ganha dhärranhana, luku Djipara |
| It is standing, the Foundation of Djiliwirri | |
| Ŋunhiliyi, wäŋiya Lun’puŋura | |
| There, in the country at the Foundation of Djiliwirri | |
| Ŋayinydja ganha dhurrwaraŋura nyarrkthurruna | |
| He was brooding at its entrance | |
| Nuway ganha ditjpurrk wutthurruna | |
| Nuwa was prising | |
| Nyarrkthurruna barrarawaŋa, Nuwa’wuŋu | |
| Prising with his crowbar, from Nuwa | |
| Gurtha nhärana Buŋuŋura | |
| Fire blazed at the spring-well of Buŋu | |
| Chorus 1 | … |
| Chorus 2 | Dola, wutthurruna, Djirriŋgay Dhawulyarra |
| Descant | Paperbark Tree, prising, Paperbark Tree |
| Ŋunhala, wäŋiya, Mitjamitja Dhawulyarra | |
| There, in the country, the Paperbark Tree | |
| Chorus 3 | Galŋa ŋarranha garrpirra Guwaninywaninymirri |
| Descant | My bark wrapped with Vine |
| Yinagarrangarrmirri Bumbatamirri | |
| Vine | |
| Ŋunhala, wäŋiya, Djirriŋgay Malulay | |
| There, in the country, the Paperbark Tree | |
| Chorus 1 | … |
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