Yali Munungurr

Yali lives at Dhalinybuy outstation with his family where he works as a school teacher. He is well versed in his Yolŋu culture and that of the Western world, having studied outside of Arnhem land.

Together with Ŋoŋu Ganambarr and Gurumin Marika, he shares the important management role of Djuŋgaya for the community of Dhalinybuy. This involves various cultural responsibilities and also includes managing visitors to the community, which at times are non-Aboriginal workers. Yali has a reputation as a kind and well spoken Yolŋu man who takes pride in sharing his culture.

He has a special talent for identifying suitable areas of land for cutting yiḏaki. This means the raw product he starts with is often ideal. His work is sought after by musicians who value the acoustic qualities of his instruments. His yiḏaki are most often painted by his wife with decorative motifs that are commonly found in the Dhalinbuy river system. These include fish, turtles, birds and crocodiles. Occasionally his yiḏaki are painted with the sacred Wangurri clan miny'tji, which declares ownership of the Dhalinybuy river and sometimes includes the triangular design associated with waŋupini; the Yirritja thunder-cloud.

Recently Yali also branched out into sculpture.