MUSIC

 

Aboriginal music and art unites consciousness with the invisible laws and energy patterns of nature. Aboriginal art is perhaps most accurately described as a method for gaining knowledge of nature and its invisible Dreaming. An example is the playing of the didjeridoo, a long wooden flute, perhaps the oldest musical instrument on earth.

Traditionally, an Aborigine would go into nature and listen intensely to animal sounds, not just voices but also the flapping of wings or the thump of feet on the ground. The Aborigine would also listen to the sounds of wind, thunder, trees creaking, and water running. The essences of all these sounds were played with as much accuracy as possible within the droning sound of the didjereedoo. For the Aborigine, the observation of nature immediately requires a state of empathy, which leads to an imitative expression.

 

 

Wooden didjeridoos are varieties form 'piped ' eucalyptus branches ('suppressed stems'). 'Termites nest in these malformed branches, eating the wood from the inside outwards. The species most often selected for didjeridu tubes in coastal regions of Arnhem Land  include stringy bark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta) and woolybutt (E. miniata). The River Red gum ( E.camaldulensis) is chosen by north Australian didjeridu players at places nearer to Katherine and further south. A didjeridoo at Maningrida was made form a palm, probably Livistona humilis

Excluding 'instant ' didjeridus, such as lengths of iron piping or the tailshafts of land-rovers, wooden instruments seem to more durable than bamboo type has not been measured; but after finding a hollowed branch, the player may chop it down, remove the bark covering, smooth the surfaces, whittle the mouth end, mould beeswax or gum round the rim and have the instrument ready for testing (with the singer) within a space of few hours.

 

Termites are primitive insects which form the order of Isoptera, and although often mistakenly referred to as "white ants" which are in fact no relation. They are in fact relatives of the cockroach. Whilst some build underground, other construct large mounds in the open or eat timber. In each mound, there is a queen who can produce 30 000 eggs a day. Besides tree termites nowadays also eat away from the inside, buildings, fences. In the Northern of Australia, the termites best known to live in and eating out the centre of living trees is the Coptotermes acinaciformes who then fills the hollow with waste matter.

 

 

The didgeridoo is played with continuously vibrating lips to produce the drone while using a special breathing technique called circular breathing. This requires breathing in through the nose whilst simultaneously expelling air out of the mouth using the tongue and cheeks. By use of this technique, a skilled player can replenish the air in his lungs, and with practice can sustain a note for as long as desired. Recordings exist of modern didgeridoo players playing continuously for more than forty minutes, and some currently unsubstantiated claims peg times over one hour..

The wax mouthpiece often softens during play, forming a more perfect seal

 

 

 

The didgeridoo is sometimes played as a solo instrument for recreational purposes, though more usually it accompanies dancing and singing in ceremonial rituals. For Aboriginal groups of northern Australia, the didgeridoo is an integral part of ceremonial life, as it accompanies singers and dancers in religious rituals. Pair sticks, sometimes called clapsticks establish the beat for the songs during ceremonies. The rhythm of the didgeridoo and the beat of the clapsticks are precise, and these patterns have been handed down for generations upon generations. Only men play the didgeridoo and sing during ceremonial occasions, whilst both men and women may dance. The taboo against women playing the instrument is not absolute; female Aboriginal didgeridoo players did exist, although their playing generally took place in an informal context