Gurrumul (born Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu) was a Gumatj man from Galiwin’ku on Elcho Island in the Northern Territory. He was born blind. He was left handed, taught himself guitar with a right handed guitar that was given to him by his mother. He sang stories of his land both in Yolŋu languages such as Gaalpu, Gumatj or Djambarrpuynu, a dialect related to Gumatj, and in English. Although his solo career brought him wider acclaim, he was also formerly a member of Yothu Yindi and later of Saltwater Band. He died in 2017 from liver and kidney damage due to hepatitis B which he had contracted in childhood.