The Didjeri News, Portland's Didjeridu Newletter

December 1998 An interview with David Hudson by Ed Drury

Every since I first heard the recording Proud to be Aborigine, I've known David Hudson was a first rate didjeridu player. One day, whilst thumbing through the very thin Australian section of a local CD shop, I happened upon Woolunda and promptly took it home to have a listen. I was amazed at the variety of rhythm and sounds possible by a single player doing nothing but didjeridu solos which kept my full attention the entire runtime of the CD. In the years which followed, I learn that David Hudson was far more than just an Aboriginal didjeridu player from Queensland. David's artistic output, not only prolific in music, extended to acting, painting and film production. His video tape on making and playing a Didjeridu inspired me as a teacher by giving me insights into the mechanics of circular breathing far more effective than the "squeeze the cheeks together whilst at the same time taking a sniff of air through the nose" model which taught to me as a beginner.
When David consented to this interview, I was very excited. I immediately wanted to focus on something I heard him say in his instructional video. "Remember the Didgeridoo is part of the Aboriginal culture, just a small part....". Having contact with Americans everyday who seem to elevate the didjeridu to some mystic all healing and all powerful icon of the New Age, it seemed like a great opportunity to talk with someone who knows the instrument's place in his own culture, has used it extensively in his career, but doesn't place it above or at the center of who he is. The didjeridu is part of who David Hudson is, but as he told me once in private conversation, his life doesn't revolve around it. Interesting that for many Non-Aboriginal people I know, their life does revolve around the didjeridu. Why that is, perhaps says something about their self-esteem. Here then, is an interview with a man who has a healthy and true self image.

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[Ed] While your most known in America for your career as a virtuoso didjeridu player, I know that your much more than that. I think the first thing I would ask of you is to describe your interests and work in other paths. It seems your constantly at work and I'd like to hear about what your working on now and your plans for the future. Can you indulge us in a little description of your current plans? What can we look forward to from David Hudson?

[David] My other work interests initially other than cultural presentations, was film and television work. However, after being apart of some feature films over the years, I have decided that television presentation and documentaries etc,is much more along the lines of what I would pursue. I find that work much more rewarding as a one on one camera to presenter aspect. On that level though, I have to say that working with Marlon Brando, in The Island of Dr. Moreau, as well as other great actors, was one of the highlights.
I have done commercials, been Master of Ceremonies, presented cultural awareness through Arts Council in the schools, and have traveled around Australia over my career.
I am the co-founder and co-producer of the Tjapukai Dance Theatre, which started in Kuranda Qld, in 1987, presenting a 1 hour cultural/theatrical presentation in our own theatre. I left that in 1992, to pursue my own solo career again. After 12 years, it is in the Guiness Book of Records, as the longest Australian theatrical show.
Since then I have still been traveling, mainly overseas to perform, and up until March this year, for the previous year, had been touring with "Yanni"(Greek Musician).This was great to be apart of, a wonderful experience performing in great venues, but unfortunately because of the traveling in between cities etc, it was just too long on the road.
So, at this point, I am looking at creating more work at home, be it Cairns or Australia in general, as most of the work has taken me overseas. I am talking to the Education Dept. about creating workshops back in the schools and I have designed a cultural retreat, to be trialed next year. That would be taking kids having problems at school, back into the bush and helping them gain cultural knowledge, self esteem and generally trying to get them grounded again.
Also, I have been offering on my web page, customized didgeridoos and paintings, which has taken off very well, and keeps me extremely busy.

[Ed] Your paintings are wonderful! I found them a wonderful surprise on your web page. Can you tell me a bit about your background as an artist? I'd love to hear for example about your artistic influences and it seems to me that you've done some contemporary study in art.

[David] No I have not studied art formally, but have been fortunate to come from an artistic family that have painted didgeridoos and artifacts. To paint on canvas or paper is a natural progression, and have been able to blend my traditional background with a more contemporary outlook. I have been influenced by the look of my forefathers Rock Art, which I have tried to encompass in the background of my paintings. I have tried to bring my own style into the paintings and find a path that perhaps someone else is not doing.Instead of a flat look, I have tried to bring about a three dimensional aspect,and because of the area I come from being the Northeast coast of Australia, I am able to choose from the areas that surround me being the Great Barrier Reef, the Rainforest, and to the west, the brown Savannah lands.
Another important point is, that we as Aboriginal people now not only paint in earth tones, but are incorporating colours such as greens and blues and cold colours. And why not, these colours are all around us, and our art has progressed as well.

[Ed] This progress, in art, is that true of your music as well? What influences this progress and how does it impact on tradition?

[David] My elders think that what I do is great, a way of taking traditional elements into the modern times. Influences from traveling the world help me develop the progress and new sounds that I incorporate in music.Also I am fortunate that I come from an area that has reef, rainforest and savannah.

[Ed] I recently had the great fortune to meet David Blanasi. At the mention of your name his eyes brightened up. It seems to me, I had met another David Hudson fan. Can you talk a bit about your friendships with other Aboriginal musicians and artists?

[David] I have had the opportunity and good fortune to be able to work with David Blanasi on various occasions over the years. He has always been an inspiration not only as a didge player, but as an artist and as a cultural ambassador. I feel that I have a great repoir with other artists and musicians, and it is very important that we all support each other, no matter what the field we are in, as it helps with our identity and make our voice be heard.

[Ed] In your video, "Making and Playing Didgeridoo with David Hudson", you say something about how the didgeridoo is part of Aboriginal culture, a small part, but a part nonetheless. I really liked that because I think we non-Aboriginals try to make something different out of the instrument than your people intend us to, or at least view it yourselves. Can you sharpen that insight for us with regard to what the didgeridoo means to you personally in the context of your background?

[David] It is refreshing to see that someone else has been able to decipher that this instrument has been taken a long way out of its original context and made it into something that it's not. As I have said before, the inside of a didgeridoo is like a kaleidoscope, you have many paths that have been left behind from the termites, the didgeridoo is only one of those paths to our culture. Then comes dance, art, womens/mens business,etc.

[Ed] With the popularity of the Didjeridu in western culture, there has been all kinds of "flash" added to the basic instrument to make it bigger, longer, big bells and extra. I noticed that most Aboriginal player have really pretty simple requirements which have little to do with big booming low tones. I imagine all this "opinions" of what a proper instrument is must at some point contradict what you've been taught and know is true. Can you describe the traditional didj as you know it? How it's harvested, prepared?

[David] The big belled didgeridoo has become a trend and for folks that really don't know much about it, it seems to be that to have a good didge it has to have a bell. (wrong)I could go on for another page on this question, but to cut to the chase, give me any day, a straight/curved, light didge that travels well and is easy to carry and nice to hold when playing.Most of the didge's That I travel with are very plain looking but have it's traditional markings to signify where it comes from.
For your interest--- In my personal collection I have 88, that I have made and kept because of its originality or been given to me as gifts.In my collection of logs I have didgeridoo's that are over forty years old and they are cut quite simple and not much work done to them at all.Actually all those ones that are over twenty years don't have a bell? We have certainly seen the changes in shapes,acrylic paint replaces ochres, people are cutting didge's which have three or four stems coming down into the one hole at the end. But hey for the times they are a changin.