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The didjeridu..
The proper place to start, I suppose, should be with a history of this fascinating instrument but for good reason I am not going to! This is a well documented subject where everything you need to know can very easily be found using the many search engines on the internet today. This is also a very involved subject which is far beyond the restraints of this site and best explained by experts in the field. Quite honestly, anything I write here will only be a very brief overview of what is readily available elsewhere. If you are interested in gaining some in depth knowledge clicking here will get you off to a good start.
What I am going to do though is look at the world of the didjeridu as it stands today, what you can buy, your choices as respects instrument types, who makes them and do a bit of conscience pricking so you can make an informed decision before parting with your hard earned cash!
You may not be aware of this but the didjeridu is BIG business! Over the last 10 years or so interest in this instrument has rocketed to epidemic proportions creating a multi million dollar business where everyone is climbing on the bandwagon. Unfortunately, interest in the cultural value of this instrument, its place in the aboriginal way of life and how sacred it is to these people has not increased at the same pace. Ignorance of these issues has created an opening for "white cutters" to move in and ply their trade whilst the average purchaser is totally unaware of the exploitation and damage being done behind the scenes. A far cry from decades ago where the only instruments you could buy were made by an aboriginal craftsman (a traditional custodian of this ancient instrument) from the Northern Territories. He would trek out into the bush, painstakingly search out an appropriate tree, cut it down, bring it home and craft it into didjeridu. Some would be kept whilst others would be sold.
Not today, as is common in most areas of modern life, where money can be made, principles, honesty, rules and regulations have gone out of the window!!
The chainsaw has replaced the axe as thousands of acres of bush are systematically hacked down by "white cutters" in the hope that some of them will be suitable to make an instrument. Much of this is illegal harvesting and is rampant in the Northern Territories including far North Queensland, Darwin and Katherine areas. Some poachers have even illegally encroached into Arnhem Land itself in their quest for the ecalyptus tree due to declining stocks elsewhere. This is an environmental and cultural disaster waiting to happen and needs to be stopped. But how?
The didjeridu and Australia, from a tourists point of view, go hand in hand. I know, been there, done it! I am from England and have been to Australia three times in the past 6 years and brought back a didjeridu each time, the first two times in ignorance of its origin like most other people I suspect. Everywhere you look you will find didjeridu's for sale, including airports and markets, in fact most shops. All types, lengths. colours, plain, painted, ecalyptus, bamboo and most labelled "Aboriginal Didjeridu". But did you know that less than 1% can correcrtly be called "aboriginal didjeridu's " and even less than that are traditional aboriginal instruments!!
The didjeridu, including the artwork designs, the culture and ceremony attached to it is rightly owned by custodians ie; aboriginal people of Arnhem Land who have inherited the rights from their ancestors to make and use the didjeridu in their ceremonies. To take that concept, design or artwork and copy it is illegal, much like copying a work of art and trying to sell it as an original, using parts of a song without the owners permission, downloading music or films without paying, buying fake DVD's, jeans or perfume, the list is endless. Yet this is what's happening on a massive scale. The aboriginal culture has been and is still being exploited by non aborignal people who hide behind the "Genuine aboriginal didjeridu" label as a way of making themselves a fortune whilst fooling the innocent public and then paying nothing back into the aboriginal communities they are exploiting. Until a proper labelling system can be introduced and enforced to bring these people into line, we need to take the initiative and be aware of what our options are when considering a purchase. Don't be so easliy persuaded when you are told, even in a didjeridu shop, that an item is a genuine aboriginal instrument. Remember well over 98% of all didjeridu's are not made by aboriginal people, despite what the label may say. Every ' fake ' didjeridu that is sold is one less opportunity for an aboriginal and their communities to benefit from the sale of a genuine instrument. This counterfeit market, like all others, only exists because there is a demand, and reasons for the demand? Ignorance is probably the major factor, price is possibly another, availability another, plus there will always be some that are not really bothered as long as they get a souvenir. Take away the demand though and the business will go with it.
I can't and wouldn't tell you what you should or shouldn't buy, but you do need to make an informed choice. Many people will still buy a non genuine didjeridu despite all that has been said here and whilst I wouldn't buy anything other than a genuine aboriginal instrument, I can't expect others to have the same views as me. Yet being fooled into buying one thing whilst thinking you are buying something else is completely wrong so what follows is a guide to help you understand, identify and consider the implications of your next purchase.
So let's start at the top end (in more ways than one) of the instrument chain, Genuine Traditional Aboriginal didjeridu's , high cultural integrity instruments that you will find on this site.
Traditional didjeridu's are called Yidaki or Mago..
The proper place to start, I suppose, should be with a history of this fascinating instrument but for good reason I am not going to! This is a well documented subject where everything you need to know can very easily be found using the many search engines on the internet today. This is also a very involved subject which is far beyond the restraints of this site and best explained by experts in the field. Quite honestly, anything I write here will only be a very brief overview of what is readily available elsewhere. If you are interested in gaining some in depth knowledge clicking here will get you off to a good start.
What I am going to do though is look at the world of the didjeridu as it stands today, what you can buy, your choices as respects instrument types, who makes them and do a bit of conscience pricking so you can make an informed decision before parting with your hard earned cash!
You may not be aware of this but the didjeridu is BIG business! Over the last 10 years or so interest in this instrument has rocketed to epidemic proportions creating a multi million dollar business where everyone is climbing on the bandwagon. Unfortunately, interest in the cultural value of this instrument, its place in the aboriginal way of life and how sacred it is to these people has not increased at the same pace. Ignorance of these issues has created an opening for "white cutters" to move in and ply their trade whilst the average purchaser is totally unaware of the exploitation and damage being done behind the scenes. A far cry from decades ago where the only instruments you could buy were made by an aboriginal craftsman (a traditional custodian of this ancient instrument) from the Northern Territories. He would trek out into the bush, painstakingly search out an appropriate tree, cut it down, bring it home and craft it into didjeridu. Some would be kept whilst others would be sold.
Not today, as is common in most areas of modern life, where money can be made, principles, honesty, rules and regulations have gone out of the window!!
The chainsaw has replaced the axe as thousands of acres of bush are systematically hacked down by "white cutters" in the hope that some of them will be suitable to make an instrument. Much of this is illegal harvesting and is rampant in the Northern Territories including far North Queensland, Darwin and Katherine areas. Some poachers have even illegally encroached into Arnhem Land itself in their quest for the ecalyptus tree due to declining stocks elsewhere. This is an environmental and cultural disaster waiting to happen and needs to be stopped. But how?
The didjeridu and Australia, from a tourists point of view, go hand in hand. I know, been there, done it! I am from England and have been to Australia three times in the past 6 years and brought back a didjeridu each time, the first two times in ignorance of its origin like most other people I suspect. Everywhere you look you will find didjeridu's for sale, including airports and markets, in fact most shops. All types, lengths. colours, plain, painted, ecalyptus, bamboo and most labelled "Aboriginal Didjeridu". But did you know that less than 1% can correcrtly be called "aboriginal didjeridu's " and even less than that are traditional aboriginal instruments!!
The didjeridu, including the artwork designs, the culture and ceremony attached to it is rightly owned by custodians ie; aboriginal people of Arnhem Land who have inherited the rights from their ancestors to make and use the didjeridu in their ceremonies. To take that concept, design or artwork and copy it is illegal, much like copying a work of art and trying to sell it as an original, using parts of a song without the owners permission, downloading music or films without paying, buying fake DVD's, jeans or perfume, the list is endless. Yet this is what's happening on a massive scale. The aboriginal culture has been and is still being exploited by non aborignal people who hide behind the "Genuine aboriginal didjeridu" label as a way of making themselves a fortune whilst fooling the innocent public and then paying nothing back into the aboriginal communities they are exploiting. Until a proper labelling system can be introduced and enforced to bring these people into line, we need to take the initiative and be aware of what our options are when considering a purchase. Don't be so easliy persuaded when you are told, even in a didjeridu shop, that an item is a genuine aboriginal instrument. Remember well over 98% of all didjeridu's are not made by aboriginal people, despite what the label may say. Every ' fake ' didjeridu that is sold is one less opportunity for an aboriginal and their communities to benefit from the sale of a genuine instrument. This counterfeit market, like all others, only exists because there is a demand, and reasons for the demand? Ignorance is probably the major factor, price is possibly another, availability another, plus there will always be some that are not really bothered as long as they get a souvenir. Take away the demand though and the business will go with it.
I can't and wouldn't tell you what you should or shouldn't buy, but you do need to make an informed choice. Many people will still buy a non genuine didjeridu despite all that has been said here and whilst I wouldn't buy anything other than a genuine aboriginal instrument, I can't expect others to have the same views as me. Yet being fooled into buying one thing whilst thinking you are buying something else is completely wrong so what follows is a guide to help you understand, identify and consider the implications of your next purchase.
So let's start at the top end (in more ways than one) of the instrument chain, Genuine Traditional Aboriginal didjeridu's , high cultural integrity instruments that you will find on this site.
Traditional didjeridu's are called Yidaki or Mago..
Typical Yidaki
Yidaki generally originate from North Eastern Arnhem Land and Groote Eylandt. Yidaki usually have longer, narrower necks than Mago and generally have, but not always, smaller mouthpieces. This helps the player to use fast tongue inflections and blown overtones (toots) for which the area is known for in its playing styles. How can you tell if it is traditional or not? Well yidaki look different to the majority of didjeridu's you will find in a tourist shop. Most will have natural mouthpieces (not wax) but this is not a hard and fast rule. Many yidaki taper very nicely along their length to a bell which can be quite large like the one shown here. The instrument itself may bear the marks of the crafting tools and be left unsanded prior to painting, an attractive feature in my opinion, this is not usual for non traditional instruments. The painting can often be very simple, as in the above picture and sometimes quite rough in composition or finish compared to what you may be used to seeing. Again, not a hard and fast rule as many yidaki are beautifully painted and finished to a high standard Some will be painted in earth pigments (ochre) and will not have a ' finish ' on them. . Most traditional acrylic painted instruments use four main colours (red earth, black, titanium white and yellow ochre) didjeridu's painted in fancy colours or "dot art" are not the work of a traditional craftsman! Look down the bore, most traditional instruments have the minimum of work done here. Many will have some scraping work a little way into the bell and / or mouthpiece end to tune it and make the mouthpiece a suitable size for playing whilst others will be completely untouched end to end. Either way the bore of traditional instruments will generally be natural, showing crevices, convolutions and other nooks and crannies that give evidence of the previous termite inhabitants. Non traditional instruments, even though they may be termite hollowed generally have the bore cleaned out a bit to make it smoother than what I have described above. The best way to be sure that you are buying a traditional didjeridu is to get some experience, check out sites that guarantee they sell such instruments, become familiar with their features and in no time you will recognise a traditional didjeridu as soon as you see it.
Typical Mago
Mago is the didjeridu type used by the aboriginal people from the North Central, Western and South Western areas of Arnhem Land, their use also stretches out of Arnhem Land to other areas in the Northern Territory. Like the yidaki, mago's are very distinctive in appearance. Much of what has already been said about the yidaki, ie; standards and styles of artwork, naturalness of the bore etc also apply to mago instruments but there are differences. The style of playing in these areas does not incorporate the blown overtone or "toot" but the voice is sometimes used, as it is by yidaki players, in some playing styles. Unlike Yidaki most mago will probably have a wax mouthpiece to reduce the size of the playing diameter, again not a hard and fast rule. This will be made of black sugarbag wax produced by Australian stingless bees and not the "western type" yellow wax which is not native to these areas. The reason for this is that mago, which are usually much shorter than a yidaki of a similar key, are more parallel along their length resulting in a wider mouthpiece, ok for aborigines but not usually for western players!! Many mago do have a gradual taper, making the bell larger than the mouthpiece but this is not generally as pronounced as it is with yidaki. Whilst some artists who paint in acrylics will use the "standard" colours mentioned in the yidaki section you will find other colours used on a Mago, brighter reds and yellows or green and grey colours for example. Like yidaki though, a traditional instrument will not be painted in garish colours or "dot art". Again, there's nothing like experience, check out a few sites, do your homework and you will soon be able to spot a Mago at 100 paces!!
Non traditional
Genuine Aboriginal didjeridu
Genuine Aboriginal didjeridu
Lets look at our next area The Genuine Aboriginal Didjeridu as we take one step away from the traditional instrument
This is the last section in didjeridu manufacture where, if you have bought or are thinking of buying an instrument from this area, you can honestly say you have bought a genuine aboriginal didjeridu, albeit non traditional. These are instruments that have been cut ( from natively grown timber usually eucalyptus as are yidaki and mago) then crafted and decorated by an indigenous aboriginal person or persons no matter where they live in Australia . It may not be the same person that has made the completed instrument as it is often the case where batches of unpainted instruments are bought by a seller who then gets other unconnected aboriginal artists to decorate them. As long as the complete process has been accomplished by indigenous aboriginals then the instrument is genuine. This though is where the problem lies as this is the section where most people would likely choose to buy an instrument from because they want a genuine instrument as a souvenir yet it's the same area where unscrupulous sellers claim their fake instruments fit into. Most people, when they buy an instrument from this section, are aware that they are not buying a traditional instrument but those same people looking for a "normal" aboriginal didjeridu could be fooled into thinking what they are buying is genuine when in fact it isn't. Why? because it is so difficult to tell the two apart. Be aware that some sellers of "Genuine Aboriginal Didjeridus" buy "blanks" or worse still, harvested logs with the bark still on from indigenous aboriginals and claim that they are the genuine article whilst it is clear that they are subsequently extensively worked on by non aboriginals to create a finished instrument. My only advice here is to search out a reputable seller of this kind of instrument but bearing in mind my previous comment about 98% of didjeridu's being sold are not genuine, this may prove to be a bit of a problem. Sometimes you will see an aborigine working in a didjeridu shop, this is still no guarantee that what is sold there is genuine. Don't be shy, ask questions, a seller of genuine instruments will not mind at all. As strange as it may seem the internet could come to the rescue here. There are a couple of sites that sell genuine non traditional instruments and guarantee it! Often they are quite open as to their activities and reading through their sites builds confidence that this is the case, do your homework and don't be afraid to ask questions!!. I do own 3 genuine aboriginal, non traditional, didjeridus bought prior to my interest in traditional instruments. They look good, are finished to a high standard and play very nicely indeed. They are easy care maintenance free instruments which are sealed inside and out and I am happy that they are genuine instruments. I wouldn't buy anymore purely because I am now only interested in traditional dideridu. So, if you don't want a traditional didjeridu or cannot give it the care and maintenace it needs then buy your instrument from this area of manufacture, you will still be giving support to the indigenous Australian aborigine as long as you remember : To qualify for the label "Genuine Aboriginal Didjeridu" the complete process from harvesting to selling must have been been accomplished by indigenous aboriginals
The final heading covers all Non Traditional and Non Genuine Aboriginal Didjeridu's
This includes all instruments made by anyone who is not an aborigine whether made in Australia or not and also any instrument that is decorated by an aboriginal artist but made by someone who is also not an aborigine. Here are a few examples..
This includes all instruments made by anyone who is not an aborigine whether made in Australia or not and also any instrument that is decorated by an aboriginal artist but made by someone who is also not an aborigine. Here are a few examples..
European didj
Teak didj, printed artwork
Aborignal Art only didj
Australian termite eaten didj
Bamboo didj
Any didjeridu's which fit the above description in the final heading and are labelled "Genuine Aboriginal Didgeridu's" should be viewed with caution, especially if you are concerned about exploitation of the aborigines and are considering a purchase. Most sellers are honest in decscribing the origin of their instruments but there are also many who are not. So please be aware that the purchase of such instruments as those shown above do nothing to support the aboriginal communities, he righful owners of this instrument.
Generally makers of these instruments do not claim that these are of aboriginal origin. There are places here in he UK that make these instruments which can be made of most common types of available english timber ie: Beech. Oak. Sycamore, Ash and so on. They generally play very well and are usually cheaper than the genuine aboriginal article
The giveaway here is is the wood, Teak. Again, usually no claim of aboriginal authenticity is made in the adverts where you see these for sale. There is usually a bad attempt at reproducing "aboriginal art" which is generally emboss printed onto the wood which could fool someone not familiar with the genuine article. You see a lot of this kind of instrument for sale on Ebay, they are often very long compared to conventional instruments and sell cheaply
These are instruments that are painted by an aboriginal artist but where the harvesting and / or crafting is done by a non aboriginal person. It is from this area and the one below where the most care is needed if you are concerned whether you are buying a genuine aboriginal instrument or not. Unlike the two sections above it's here where false claims of authenticity are usually made or the origins "hidden" from the purchaser.
Another tricky one like the above example. A nice looking termite eaten didjeridu, but who made it? who knows! and that's the problem, especially as it is also not painted. It has a western style wax mouthpiece but that is not a cast iron guarantee that it is not genuine! I have a Djalu yidaki with a mouthpiece made of the same wax which I know is genuine!! Again, if authenticity is an issue then only buy an instrument such as this from a reputable seller of genuine aboriginal didjeridu .
Bamboo is not generally the material used today by makers of traditional or genuine aboriginal didjeridu's even though there maybe a very few exceptions here. Any didjeridu of this type offered for sale as a genuine aboriginal instrument should be considered very carefully. It's a readily available material and the vast majority of this kind of instrument I have seen for sale seem to originate from Indonesia. Many are painted in a kind of aboriginal design or have the markings burnt on and usually are not sold under the "genuine aboriginal" banner even though they may use the term "aboriginal style" didgeridu. Usually quite short and more of a novelty than a musical instrument, there are hundreds for sale on Ebay and are probably the cheapest "didjeridu" you can buy.
