David Blanasi One of the most senior men in the region an co-funder of The White Cockatoo Performing Group was the mago (didjeridu) master Mr. David Blanasi. Mr. Blanasi travelled and performed extensively throughout the world for over three decades and brought the mago to national and international prominence for the first time. His extraordinary virtuosity made him the "free jazz" master of the Western Arnhem land "Gunborg" tradition, where the continious drone of mago is syncopated in time with the songmen. A master instrument craftsmen, talented visual artist and Wugularr elder from the Mialili laungage group. David was born around 1930. As a young boy he lived on his traditional land at Kundirri in central southern Arnhem land. David remembers learning to plat the mago at an early age. "My father used to cut didjeridus for me as a young child - little ones - and he used to play all the time". "Sometimes we´d be travelling all the time from Arnhem Land, from Kundirri, and I used to carry it with me. If I lost it I would have to go back and get it". "People call me ´The Bomb` because I play the didjeridu very hard, straight out! No mucking around!". Sadly, in the year 1998, Western Arnhem Land lost David Blanasi´s life long partner and incomparable songmaster Djoli Laiwonga (The Black Cockatoo). In august 2001 Mr. Blanasi (The White Cockatoo) went missing from his community. The circumstances of the mago master´s disapperance remain a mystery. According to tribal law their tradition was passed on to the senior songmasters Jack Nawalill, David Yirindilli and Mr. Blanasi´s mago apprentiance Darryl Dikarrna. Jack, David and Darryl have inherited this corroboree in what is one of the world´s oldest unbroken traditions. London 1967 It all started with being asked to do the first concert in the new Sydney Opera House. I was thrilled and determined to make the show as Australian as I could. I wanted fifteen backingsingers who were young, enthusiastic, and sounded like Australians when they sang, I also put in a request for David Blanasi and Djoli Laiwonga. These two full-blood Aboriginal men from Bamyili in The Northern Territory. My association with them began with David in 1967, when he was the first full-blood Aboriginal to make the trip to England since Bennelong went home with Philip 1792. David flew over for my television show, stayed with us in London and loved it, said the house was a good place to camp, and mentioned that the television theatre would make a good cave. He was stunningly good on televison, with tremndous dignity and manhood and humour coming through - a big hit. He said that next time I should bring his brother Djoli over, and as well as hearing David play the didgeridoo we could see and hear Djolidance and sing. I ran into David again 1969 in the first walkabout I did when we called in on him at his home in Bamyili. We got on very well again and I met Djoli, a very shy man when it comes to communicating in English, laughing to cover his embarrasment, but a joy to watch in his songs and dance". Rolf Harris "Rolf goes bush" 1975 Left:David Blanasi Right: Djoli Laiwonga Photo: Rolf Harris MISSING DIGERIDOO-ER: Australia's most famous digeridoo player is missing. Is he dead? "His community has become caught up in a supernatural rumour mill and both black and white spiritualists claim to be in contact with him. David Blanasi is said to have wandered off to collect wood to make digeridoos on August 6." Despite an extensive search, he's still missing. The Australian 09/11/01

David Blanasi. Photo: Rolf Harris Rolf Harris & Blanasi Photo: Harris, 1967 David Blanasi july 2001 Photo: Lars Wallin

David Blanasi Appears on the following recordings David Blanasi Didjeridu Master Label Information: Big Bang Records Media Type: CD Year: 1998 The David Blanasi Tribute Album Artist/Collector: David Blanasi & The White Cockatoo Performing Group. Label Information: Big Bang Records Media Type: CD Year: 2002 White Cockatoo Featuring didjeridu legend David Blanasi Label: Arcmusic Media Type: CD Year: 2005