“What non-indigenous Australia needs to understand is that we’ve been singing these songs for over 40,000 years, we’re just contemporising our ideology in 2015,” says Edwards. “We’re just the contemporary bearers of cultural practice that has been done for millennia on this continent. New melodies to old songs. I’ve been at this game for 26 years. It’s been a hard slog, but it doesn’t detract me from what I need to pass on to not only non-indigenous Australia, but to our youth and how they can give voice to our people.
“The kids are told to shut up and play outside, and when they muck up they have to come inside and they can’t do this or that, but I suppose I’m getting old. The supposed elders in the game we call the music industry, what we need to do now is educate our kids as to how to get these stories and song lines across in this new world. I’ve been at it since ’89. Believe me man, it’s a slog.”
Despite working tirelessly at his self-appointed mission, Edwards is humble about his work. Other performers engaged with the indigenous community mightn’t have the time or energy to visit a community more than a few times a year, but Edwards makes sure he visits at least once a month after seeing out his other responsibilities – which have included performing at the Sydney Opera House.
“Fair enough, I can do a gig in front of Gough Whitlam at the Sydney Opera House in what might have been 2007 or 2008, sitting in the front row when I was with the Black Arm Band,” he says. “Gough Whitlam. You just think, ‘What the?’ But the reality is, what’s the point of us doing a performance such as that in front of him? And you get Jimmy Barnes coming down in the bowels of the house with his wife and kids and stuff saying, ‘That was unbelievable. Can I get involved?’ And I’m like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ The reality is that, while I can’t speak on behalf of the ensemble or on behalf of Archie [Roach] or Ruby [Hunter], and I shouldn’t, the reality is that although I’m performing like that, I need to do the right thing by working with the community as well on the next day – by doing songwriting and engaging with the community and such. Stuff like that at the Redfern Community Centre so these kids can see their idols.”
Edwards’ commitment to lending a hand stems from an appreciation for the opportunities he’s been granted. He wants to equalise the playing field by making sure today’s youth can have the same opportunities he’s had.
“We’re supposed to inspire our kids to be doing this. I bet you half or probably all of Queensland is kicking balls over rugby goals, over what Jonathan Thurston did, and that’s to inspire our kids. Not to glorify ourselves. So I might have been at Sydney opera house two days ago, but I’m here. My job is to help you write what you want to write, and play what you want to play so that you may get the opportunity to do what I did two days ago. No use pumping up your own tires. Doesn’t make sense to me.”
BY THOMAS BRAND
