Isaac Yamma

Isaac Yamma (1940 – January 1990) was a country singer from central Australia. He was one of the earliest musicians in Australia to become well known singing Western-style songs in an indigenous language. Isaac was a Pitjantjatjara man who was born by a waterhole near Docker River. He started his musical career as a member of a band called Areyonga Desert Tigers. He later formed his own band, the Pitjantjatjara Country Band. It was made up of his sons Hector, Frank, Peter and Paul and his cousin Russell Yamma. His song were mostly sung in Pitjantjatjara.

Isaac Yamma
Isaac Yama outside Ininti Store, Uluru, NT, Australia. 1983
Background information
Born	1940 Kaltukatjara, Northern Territory, Australia
Died	January 1990
Genres	Country
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	vocals, acoustic guitar
Years active	1960–1989
Labels	CAAMA Records

Discography

Albums

• Isaac Yama and the Pitjantjatjara Country Band (1987) - CAAMA
• Isaac Yama and the Pitjantjatjara Country Band No.2 (1987) - CAAMA

Compilations

• Papal Concert, Alice Springs (1982) - CAAMA
• Desert Songs 1 (1982) - CAAMA
• Desert Songs 2 (1983) - CAAMA
• From the Bush (1990) - CAAMA
• AIDS: How Could I Know (1989) - CAAMA
• 25th Anniversary Compilation 2 (2006) - CAAMA

References

• Walker, Clinton (2000). "Country Man". Buried Country: The Story of Aboriginal Country Music. Pluto Press. pp. 230–243. ISBN 1-86403-152-2.
• Toohey, Paul (1996). "The Story of Isaac". God's Little Acre. Sydney: Duffy & Snellgrove. ISBN 1-875989-09-9.
• Breen, Marcus (1989). Our Place Our Music. Aboriginal Studies Press. ISBN 0-85575-197-5.