Finds 03.02.11

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written by Scott starr , March 02, 2011 - 08:17 am

Why to go Ramond!

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written by R.Howard , March 03, 2011 - 04:32 am

& now- The rest of the Story=

Origins of the Yirdaki/Yidaki/ or what "White fella call it" Didgeridoo

Tags: Didgeridoo

Be still child & I tell em story from the beginning.
" Long, long, long ago in the dream time all was cold and dark. Bur Buk Boon was go prepare woods for the fire in order to bring the protection of warmth and light to his family. Burbuk Boon added wood in the fire when he noticed a log was empty and a termite family was busy at work to eat away the soft wood in the center of the log. As he wouldn't injure the termites, Bur Buk Boon brought the empty log to his mouth and started to blow. The termites were projected in the nocturne sky, formed stars and the milk way and light up the landscape. And for the first time the didgeridoo sound blessed Mother the Earth, protecting her and all Dreamtime spirits, with this vibrant sound for eternity ...∞"



Djalu Gurruwiwi's Introduction

To all of you who want to come to my land to learn, I say, “welcome, come to my land.” From here in Australia and from overseas. Here, the didgeridoo is a gift for all of you, like a gift making the way for others. Okay. Because everyone on the non-Aboriginal side has gifts. And on the Yolu side, there are gifts. See, it's like that.

And that's beautiful, I say, "Welcome, come, come, from wherever." From there, from across the seas. From far away, come on and sit here. Yes, all of you come.

Everyone has gifts, all around. It doesn't matter that non-Aboriginals have different languages. Because we are all one. One.

If we work this way, not wasting, we will make a new path. And non-Aboriginals will join with us. Yes, good.

Basic Information - What is a Didgeridoo/Yidaki?
The didgeridoo is a lip-reed aero phone instrument originally used in ceremony by Aboriginal People in northern Australia. Its construction is very simple - a termite-hollowed trunk of a tree that is harvested and finished to varying degrees, sometimes painted, and sometimes with a beeswax mouthpiece attached, which we will discuss in more detail later. Essentially, the didgeridoo is a tube which can be played in a low tone or drone with a relaxed buzzing of the lips. The choppy punchy western style of play is not considered as authentic playing of the Yidaki/Didgeridoo.



To many Aboriginal peoples the western style of play is a source for much laughter & amusement. The Aboriginal people still use the Yidaki/Didgeridoo for ceremony whereas in other parts of the world it is seen as an oddity & an amusing, rare & very different musical instrument.

There are many types of didgeridoos from different Aboriginal groups, and even much variation within regions, so it is impossible to provide one simple yet complete description. This is further complicated today by the incredible numbers of didgeridoos being produced out of many materials by people of many different backgrounds.



"Didgeridoo" is not a word from an Aboriginal language, but a term coined by European settlers. The general word used by Yolu people for didgeridoos is "yidaki." Despite some past written work, the word "yidaki" does not have any accepted meaning other than the name of the instrument. It has been often debated among the worldwide didgeridoo scene whether all "didgeridoos" are "yidaki" or whether the term "yidaki" should be reserved only for Yolu-made didgeridoos. It has also in fact been debated whether the term "didgeridoo" itself should be reserved only for instruments made by Aboriginal Australians. We will hear more about this later, but this site will use our preferred rule -- "didgeridoo" refers to all "didgeridoo-like instruments," and "yidaki" refers only to Yolu-made didgeridoos from northeast Arnhem Land.

Aboriginal people in Arnhem Land, in Australia's remote Northern Territory, are recognized as the owners or custodians of the Yidaki/Yirdaki/ or as white fella calls it didgeridoo. To the Yolngu people, there is a body of knowledge relating to the origins of the instrument that stretch far, far back into the 'Dreamtime' - when the world was first created. In this part of the world there exists deep sacred knowledge that is closely guarded by elders and by those who are vested with the authority to protect and maintain the religious life of the people & to safeguard knowledge of the Yidaki/Yirdaki- or as white fella calls it the Didgeridoo.





Are women allowed to play Yirdaki/Yidaki/Didgeridoo?



Pushing all the modern contention, hype, myths aside, one only needs to visit Buku Larrngay Mulka, an aboriginal art center in the heart of didgeridoo country. Many of the finest didgeridoos (called yidaki up there) are decorated by Yolngu women. I've been to Arnhem Land and I've put the question of this taboo to aboriginal didgeridoo masters like David Blanasi and Djalu Gurruwiwi, both lawmen of high degree. According to these undisputable absolute authorities there is no law forbidding women to play the didgeridoo. The crafting, painting, and distribution of didgeridoos is a gift from the oldest living culture on the planet & for everyone to enjoy, regardless of gender.

Worst of all is how so many men and women from Australia's south and west still tell others that women are not allowed to play. And then there's the absolute ridiculousness of saying a woman will get pregnant or barren by touching one. None of that has any cultural relevance at all in didgeridoo country. It's a tall tale founded upon misinformation, not a rule. So, all you didgeridoo women play to your heart's content with joy, and help share the truth.


*Barry Martin
co-owner L.A. Outback .com Yidaki & Didgeridoo importer Los Angeles California USA.




http://www.laoutback.com