Eric Maddern

Eric has been Cae Mabon's principal inspiration and creator. He has been helped and inspired in turn by many, many people.

Eric was born in Whyalla, South Australia. He moved with his family to settle in Britain when he was 11. He went to school and university in the UK (a psychology and sociology degree at Sheffield University) then set out to travel the world in two years. It took him ten!

After sojourning in the U.S., Central America and the Pacific Islands he returned to Australia, the land of his birth. He worked in Adelaide as a psychologist then as a community artist, visiting remote places in the South Australian outback. This led to a four-year period working in Aboriginal communities, including a stint with the Araluen Bush Arts Team based in Alice Springs.

This exposure to Aboriginal people, culture and land had a profound effect on him. Among other things it made him curious about the notion of 'sacred land'.

Finally, after returning to Britain in 1982 and a spell in London, he was able to buy 5 acres of land in Fachwen with a farmhouse.

Since then he's become a professional storyteller and singer, and Cae Mabon has slowly evolved to the point where it is sometimes described as a 'sacred place'. Certainly it's true to say that it has been built on songs and stories.

Listen to eric's music on line at Indiestore
For more about Eric's work