But that’s exactly what happened when decorated didgeridoo player, Mark Atkins, joined St Joseph’s Catholic College to open their yarning circle and celebrate NAIDOC week.

Leading the male students in a moving didgeridoo performance as a smoking ceremony marked the new chapter in the school’s history, Atkins was completely in his element.

His path to working with students isn’t conventional. With a career spanning over 45 years, Atkins will be the first to tell you there’s been many twists and turns leading him to where he is today.

Descending from the Yamatji people of Western Australia, Atkins is of mixed heritage; Aboriginal and Irish Australian.

“I grew up during a funny time. We were scared we were going to be taken away and assimilated into being European, and our way of life would be taken away,” said Atkins.

“I was fighting all the time. My schooling wasn’t like it is today. I started playing as drummer at about 10 years old and I got caught up in it.”

With his career kicking off in the 1970’s, Atkins said it was the ‘good old days’, that entailed all things rock’n’roll.

After a long stint living this lifestyle, Atkins found the need to ground himself, so went up north. This is where he first started playing the didgeridoo, a decision he says saved his life.

“I would have ended up in jail or dead. And now the didgeridoo has taken me around the world,” he said.

Around the time COVID hit, Atkins slowed down for the first time in decades. This allowed him to start working with children who had similar backgrounds to him.

“I was going out bush, cutting my own logs and getting back to basics. Doing smaller, intimate gigs instead of big stages.

“I started doing these workshops with kids where I would just talk to them, about mental health and general things, I created a space where anybody could come and sit down with me,” he said.

Even when the world opened up following the pandemic, working with children and keeping culture alive remained a priority for Atkins.

“A lot of culture hasn’t been getting passed on. When you disconnect from the country, from the land, that’s that. That’s how things become extinct.”

Atkins is a legendary storyteller. His music, his shows and his art in all forms is centred around story telling.

“It’s something I can leave behind,” he said.

For a man who has experienced incomprehensible highs and his fair share of hurdles, there is plenty of wisdom he’s acquired that can be passed on to future generations.

Year 12 St Joseph’s Catholic College student Griffith Lloyd said getting to play with Mark Atkins was a once-in-a lifetime experience.

“To learn from someone who has a cultural background like us and has turned his life into such a success is inspiring for us all. It reminds us that the sky is the limit and that our culture can be our superpower,” Griffith said.

As for Atkins, his advice to future generations is simple.

“You need to be honest with yourself and respect yourself, because that way you learn how to deal with other people.

“And the most important thing is to follow your dreams. Don’t let anybody tell you what you can and can’t do. There’s more than one way over.”

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