ABORIGINAL AUSTRALIAN INSTRUMENT

 

There are many things to tell about the didgeridoo. Here I would like just to give some information for those people who don’t know anything about it.

The instrument consists of a eucalyptus’s trunk that has been hollowed naturally by termites. Termites that construct their termite mound in the heart of these trees, generating this way the hollow through which we blows. 'DIDGERIDOO' is an onomatopoeia that the English people gave to the instrument when they arrived to the island. The guardian’s tribes of this instrument call it 'YIDAKI' or 'MAGOO', which defines simultaneously two different forms of the instruments. The first one more conical, the second one straighter.

The instrument comes to Western culture approximately twenty years ago, thanks to pop music’s groups that start to use it in their compositions. Jamiroquai, between others, is one of the first in giving a place, though small, to the didgeridoo.

Today, we do a personal appropriation of the instrument developing new techniques. In my opinion, even when we use many traditional techniques (and still have much to learn from the Australian Aborigines), to use aboriginal patterns is a way of ‘emptier of sense’ their traditions. In this way I have developed my own way of play and compose in didgeridoo that have his roots in all the South American music, and others also, that inspire me.

In the same sense, many persons began to explore the magic of the didgeridoo construction. And today we find easily many instruments that are even better adapted to our needs that certain traditional Yidakis. In France we are lucky to possess several of these manufacturers, and very good ones!

For some years already, I play with instruments made by Alexis Rouselle, who has developed a technology of high quality, giving as result instruments of great sonority and very well adapted to our needs. Those who are interested in discovering his instruments, click on the button.

I highly recommend him!