This is a story from an Aborigine tribe in North Queensland - a very long time ago.....

The women in the tribe were out collecting wood for the fire. They piled the gathered logs. One of the logs in the pile was hollow - but at this time the women were not aware of this. A strong wind began to blow during the day and a strange sound was heard which disturbed the women and made them anxious. After a search the tribal members located the sound to a hollow log in the wood pile.

The tribe members thought that if the wind could make a sound like that - just blowing down the wooden tube - why would they not be able to do the same.

This is one of many stories about how the didjeridu was born. There are more than thirty tribal names for this musical instrument - and there may easily be as many stories or legends of the first didge. (Didjeridu can also be spelled  didgeridoo and in short: didge).

Originally the didjeridu was a North Australian musical instrument. In particular used by the Aborigines in the North West Australia. But it has spread to many other tribes in Australia. One of the reasons is that you will find termite nests in countless millions in this area. This is important as the termites eat wood and are used by the Aborigines to hollow out the stock of the wood, so it gradually becomes a wind instrument. One should think that the termites would eat all the wood - also the wall that should be left to make the tube. As the Eucalyptus tree, however, turns poisonous near the bark - the termites are one of the most perfect didjeridu factories.

Finishing the didgeridu includes cutting, fitting and  decorating.  If the mouth piece end has an inner diametre of more than 3 - 3½ cms - bees wax is put on in a ring to make the diametre smaller. Otherwise it will be difficult to play the didge in the right way.

To play a didgeridu in the right way takes a long time to learn. It is played nearly as a trumpet, but with much more loose lips. You also need to learn "circular breathing" which means that you can play and breathe at the same time. (Balloon cheeks holds the sound by pressing air out while you breathe through your nose). This enables didjeridu players to continue playing for a very long time without stopping at all.

If you would like to learn more about the didjeridu, perhaps how to make one yourself, if you want to buy one in Australia, learn how to play one, or buy didjeridu music on CD - the Internet is the place to find more about this.
 
 

Comments to: Niels Quist