The didgeridoo is an instrument with a history as deep and subtle as its sound. It is native to certain indigenous Aboriginal tribes who have occupied Australia’s Northern Territory for at least 40,000 years. While there is only documented history describing didgeridoo use by these tribes for the past 1,500 years, it is certainly Australia’s oldest musical instrument, and is perhaps the world’s first wind instrument.
While the word didgeridoo was probably applied onomatopoetically by white settlers to describe the sound made by the instrument, there are roughly forty aboriginal names for the instrument, which vary from region to region. In Arnhemland it is known as yidaki, which means “emu’s throat.” Nowadays the didgeridoo is played by other Aborigines all over Australia, even those tribes for whom it is a new tradition. The instrument’s unusual sound has also lent it popularity overseas as well.
Traditional didgeridoos are made from young, termite-hollowed eucalyptus tree trunks, and are harvested, handcrafted, and painted by one or more artisans of one of several Australian aboriginal tribes. A subset of these didges, particularly those made by craftsmen with reputations for creating truly great didgeridoos, are among the most sought after, and command the highest prices, because the means of production guarantees small numbers of instruments.
Note that there are a great many didgeridoos that attempt to duplicate traditional methods of craftsmanship in order to sell at a higher premium. When attempting to acquire a traditional didgeridoo, it’s important to know what you’re looking for and to only deal with ethical merchants. There are also a great many non-traditional didgeridoos made by other craftspeople, other materials, and in other countries. Regardless of the didge’s source, the true test for any didgeridoo is how it plays for you. Otherwise, it’s just an expensive log.
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