Saltwater Band

Saltwater Band are an Indigenous roots band from Galiwin'ku on Elcho Island, around 560 kilometres from Darwin. The members are Yolngu and they sing mostly in Yolngu languages. Their songs are a mixture of traditional songs and reggae/ska influenced pop. One member of the band, the late Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, is a close relative of Mandawuy Yunupingu of Yothu Yindi and was a past member of Yothu Yindi.Saltwater Band's first album, Gapu Damurrun, sold more than 10,000 copies, a then record for an independent Northern Territory act. Their album Djarridjarri was nominated for the ARIA Award for Best World Music Album at the ARIA Music Awards of 2004. The album also received a Deadly Award for Album Release of the Year.