Rich with culture

RICHIE Lawton is not your average Sconeite.

After working in the mining industry for 15 years, Richie decided to dedicate his life to sharing Aboriginal culture with his community, by teaching locals how to make didgeridoos and clapping sticks.

Richie says the didgeridoo is a cathartic instrument, each created for a unique purpose.

“The didjeridoo is used in ceremony, whether that is initiation, celebration or ‘sorry business’, it is used as a conduit for connecting to Gaia, Our Mother, Mother Earth. All things within indigenous culture have a connection to earth, to family, to our extended family, community, plants and animals,” Richie said.

“I’ve lost many family members, my dad, uncles, a brother and sister, they just went like that. It’s healed me a lot, connecting to my culture and the didgeridoo, which is about healing and getting back to a balance in life,” he said.

“When I play the didjeridoo I talk into the instrument and say ‘where ya going’ ‘what ya doing’ it’s like a little chat to your friend discussing the day ahead, chatting about the journey ahead,” he said.

“I’ve guided many people on making their own didjeridoo and when they have finished, they feel like they have a connection to their instrument, it’s a feeling of accomplishment and pride at what they have created and they take away a little more knowledge of indigenous culture.

“I think if we can help some people on their journey before we go, we’ve played our role,” said Richie.

Budbudda Dreaming was established in 2017 and continues to successfully evolve in today’s changing economy. 

Richie’s idea of sharing culture is about providing local communities with indigenous resources.

“It’s important to be open and adaptable otherwise you simply cannot survive,” Richie siad.

“Over the last couple of years, I’ve seen a big change as more people want to learn about Aboriginal Culture and businesses like Budbudda Dreaming are given opportunities to go into schools, correctional centres and the community to share culture and knowledge so that the stories don’t get lost,” he said.

“Right now, I teach at Muswellbrook High on Tuesday, Scone Public School on a Thursday and then Muswellbrook South on Friday. I’m also into the second six-week course with St Helliers Correctional Centre, it’s been going really well,” he said.

“The amount of feedback we’ve been getting is great, but you’ve got to play a part in the community too, so I think having the resources for the learning available in the community is really important. Building that trust and bond with your community is the best way to start.

“If we could have Aboriginal people doing their culture in all communities, that’s the next generation, but we need more resources,” said Richie.

Richie’s resources are his family, who he gathers his didgeridoo materials from.

“My backyard is where it all starts, I collect the timber from a business back where I’m from,” Richie said.

“I try to keep it in the family, my brothers and nephew’s up in Charleville, Queensland collect the raw material and I buy it off them. When I have the time, I go home to collect it myself however with travelling restrictions and time constraints I am not always able to do that,” he said.

“There are four trees you can get a didjeridoo out of, Yellowbox, Mallee, String Bark and Wolly Butt, I find that they are all pretty good didjeridoos” he said.

“But you’re not ever going to get the same didjeridoo, because the termite makes all the different tracks by eating the soft coil inside the tree. I never know what’s underneath that bark until I take it off. You can see where the grubs have been laying in there as well. There’s a story in the grub itself.

“Budbudda Dreaming makes custom made didjeridoos which are often given as birthday gifts, I think that is a great gift to receive.

“I didn’t start Budbudda Dreaming to make millions, I started because I wanted to work for myself, I wanted to be my own boss, I’ve only got to answer to my wife, who’s the real boss,” joked Richie.

“I’m following my dream and if I could advise anyone to do that, I would. It’s taken me a long time to focus my energies on the bigger picture because when you have kids, you have a responsibility as a parent,” he said.

“Now my kids are grown up and it’s mine and Sue’s journey, we can enjoy the next chapter of our lives. So, I’m getting out there and I’m enjoying sharing my knowledge and culture, cause you don’t know when your journey will end.” said Richie Lawton.