I guess it shouldn't come as to much of a surprise the number of similarities between North America, more specifically Canada, and Australia. While the United States was British founded originally, the mother country has had much more of an impact on the other two countries.
Of course British rule of law dominated both countries and they applied the same practices in both countries to the indigenous peoples they found. Once they were properly cowed with military might, the practice of forced assimilation became the accepted wisdom. Stealing children and cramming them into schools where they were forced to unlearn their heathen savagery was one step.
Taking away their land and putting them on reservations was the final piece of the equation. Not only did it remove their ability to be self-sufficient, but by removing their connection to the land they cut them off from their source of spiritual strength. Without either of those they became a hollow shell of their former selves. Destined for a life of dependency they turned to the solace that was given freely by their new maters –alcohol.
If you're wondering what this all has to do with Xavier Rudd and his newest release White Moth the answer lies in the content of the album, the issues that concern Mr. Rudd, and the internal journey that he appears to be on. Xavier Rudd is an Australian, married to a Canadian and he divides his time between the two countries and his connections to the First people of both lands runs deep and true.
The most obvious connection is his use of the Yirdaki (didgeridoo) as an integral part of his music. While it's use has become more prominent among various folk groups and performers looking for something to sound "cool", to seamlessly incorporate it, as Mr. Rudd does, into the music so that it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb or a novelty item, takes a sensitivity to the instrument that borders on the spiritual.
It is always a delicate issue using an item of spiritual significance to another culture in what they might consider secular conditions. But anyone listening to Mr. Rudd play his didgeridoos with those concerns would quickly have them alleviated by the fact the focus stays on the instrument not his ability to play them. He is not feeding his ego with them; he is feeding his music by letting their spiritual strength infuse a song.
Article comments