Artist returns after spiritual youth trip

Didgeridoo player Robert Dann has returned home to Broome in high spirits and buoyed after seeing thousands of youths take part in World Youth Day celebrations throughout Europe.

Dann returned from the 15 day tour in Europe last week, where he attended consecutive World Youth Day events in Fatima in Portugal, Madrid in Spain and Lourdes in France.

Bishop Christopher Saunders, of Broome, requested Dann play for the Australian opening.

He was accompanied by 28 others from Broome and was part of the 3000 Australians who attended the pilgrimage.

It wasn’t his first trip away for such events. On previous visits, Dann has met Pope John Paul II and even performed for him.

“I have seen the Holy Father three times now,” he said.

“I went to Rome to witness the canonisation of Saint Mary MacKillop and was the only person in WA to be chosen to play the didge and dance.”

He said almost two million people gathered in Madrid’s Cuatro Vientos Airport for a candlelight vigil and final mass.

The Pope’s words were swept away by a strong storm, preventing him from delivering to the crowd.

“It was good to see that young people were reassured and their faith strengthened… and to see how many youths are with the faith and to hear them all chant together ‘this is the Pope’s youth’,” he said.

“I had been to World Youth Day in Sydney (in 2008) which was totally different, there were 500,000 people, bigger than the 2000 World Olympics, but in Spain (on this trip) they had close to two million youths. I felt honoured as a young Catholic boy to be there, to play there.”

He thanked Broome Courthouse Markets for their support and sponsorship.

Dann is a regular performer in Broome, and will be playing his didgeridoo this Thursday, September 15, at the Mangrove Resort Hotel during Staircase to the Moon.