Home » Didjshop Forum » General Didj Issues » Health of the didjeridu market
| Health of the didjeridu market [message #2290] |
Fri, 16 December 2005 11:01  |
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JKon380
Messages: 322
Registered: November 2005
Location: USA
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| Is the didjeridu market healthy?[ 2 votes ] |
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Healthy |
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There is a need for concern |
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In Dire Trouble |
0 / 0% |
Given our recent discussions about the didjeridu industry both in Australia and abroad, I began thinking about the health of the industry and its sustainability. Interest in the didjeridu skyrocketed during the late nineties, partly because of the emergence of Yothu Yindi and other Aboriginal groups, and this traditional instrument suddenly became a commodified product, with salesmanship and importation influencing the industry, as a certain level of greed takes over. As traditionally made instruments become harder to find, it is only natural that people have started finding lower priced alternatives, and being presented as being 'better' than the originals.
So my questions are (and I hope to get some good conversation going here:
Do you think that the didjeridu industry has grown too quickly, with tourist grade instruments flooding the market?
Can we reconcile the traditional place of the instrument with the new movement toward performance-based instruments?
As a modern player, do you feel eucalyptus best suits your style?
What do you think of a grading system on instruments
[Jason, again you refer to/advertise a competitor which is against present policy - it is also against copyright legislation to simply copy material form their or anyone elses website here, so please word any suggested grading system yourself, thanks]
((Svargo deemed my edited 'grading scale' in violation of the policy, so it seems that I have attempt to reinvent the wheel:))
There are some art centers and cultural hubs in Australia that have developed a grading system to identify the authenticity levels of didgeridoos commonly available:
CI4 (their terms): Authentic traditional Aboriginal didgeridoo: High cultural integrity instrument. 100% made and decorated, from start to finish, by a traditional custodian of the instrument. A traditional custodian is an Indigenous Australian who is entitled, by Aboriginal tradition, to make and use the didgeridoo and whose ancestors, by Aboriginal tradition, have made and used the didgeridoo. Made from termite-hollowed eucalyptus and other naturally occurring materials that were traditionally used for didgeridoo construction. (c) Guan Lin
CI3: Aboriginal didgeridoo: 100% made and decorated, from start to finish, by an Indigenous Australian who is not a traditional custodian of the instrument. Made from termite-hollowed Australian native timber, usually eucalyptus. (c) Guan Lin
CI2: Aboriginal art didgeridoo: A didgeridoo that is only decorated by an Australian Aboriginal person, but made by a non-Indigenous producer. (c) Guan Lin
CI 1: Australian didgeridoo: Any didgeridoo made and decorated (or left undecorated) by an Australian non-Indigenous producer from Australian termite-hollowed native timbers. (c) Guan Lin
CI 0: Didgeridoo: All other didgeridoos other than those in categories CI 4 to CI 1. These are made from a diversity of materials and methods in Australia and overseas.
These art centers suggest that consumers avoid grades CI 2- O
Quote from this referenced site:
"Note, however, that good quality product and ethical instrument makers can be found in these categories... many hobby craftsmen, in the USA and Europe for example, hand-make excellent quality didgeridoos from a variety of materials and methods and these can be purchased at a reasonable price. These craftsmen - and you'll find out who they are with some research - do not represent their creations as something they are not."
Jason
[Updated on: Fri, 16 December 2005 20:45] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2298 is a reply to message #2290] |
Fri, 16 December 2005 16:45  |
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in_didgi_nas
Messages: 169
Registered: August 2005
Location: USA
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Do you think that the didjeridu industry has grown too quickly, with tourist grade instruments flooding the market?
I would hope that traditionally made instrument would not be sold like key chains at the souvenier shop. But education and honesty in the marketplace (yeah,right  ) are crucial to aid the buyer in making the appropriate purchase. I would think that those serious enough to seek out an authentic traditionally made didgeridoo would be able to navigate the knockoffs to reach the real thing. But that may be ignorance on my part. I think that so long as the traditional custodians have a trustworthy representative (Didjshop and the like) then the market can say and do as they will,so that those that are respectful of the instrument and its traditions can find them. Items of quality and good reputation will always be copied and sold deceivingly. We need to be sure that as we expose others to the didgeridoo that we also educate them to the dangers in the marketplace today.
Can we reconcile the traditional place of the instrument with the new movement toward performance-based instruments?
I think that this relates to the evolution of all musical types. Just as Blues gave birth to modern rock and roll. The current surge in didgeridoo playing is going to expand its role. Following the same example, there are always modern musician "going back" ,so to speak, to roots and older style blues playing. There will always be a place for traditional instruments and playing styles. One can reference the recent resurgence of bluegrass music to site an example. I don't see them as divergent paths. Instead they are intertwined that allows for innovation and expansive growth while at the same time perpetually reconnects itself to the past traditions as a source of inspiration.
As a modern player, do you feel eucalyptus best suits your style?
As a visual artist by training and trade, I understand the power a new medium has on the creative person. When I draw with charcoal, I express myself in acompletely different way than I would with pen/ink, or with paint. Every didj that I have allows me to express my self differently, due to its unique qualities. To answer the question, yes eucalyptus suits my playing stlye, because I play with a different style on it thatn with a hardwood or and agave.
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2308 is a reply to message #2290] |
Sat, 17 December 2005 11:28 |
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JKon380
Messages: 322
Registered: November 2005
Location: USA
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Thanks for your support in this, in_didgi_nas. I certainly appreciate it. Apparently, I have incurred the undue scrutinity of our forum sponsor,and part of that I brought upon myself in challenging a policy that doesn't seem likely to change. I tried to edit out all references to the orginal site, so as to abide by the policy outlined, but it appears that it still was not satisfactory to Svargo.
But I do want to continue this discussion, and you have raised a number of great points. I think at the very heart of this discussion is our position as players. I think that the didj players scene in general has moved away from traditional use of the instrument, because we are outside of that culture. The didj's significance to clan groups in Australia we can only guess at- or rely on the research of anthropologists/ethnomusicologists.
When I first began playing didj, I was somewhat obsessively focused on pitch and the musicality of the instrument as well as I could fit it into my Western musical mind. My first instrument was not eucalyptus, it was agave because I liked the brightness of the sound and the wide open bore. My style was lots of harmonic manipulation and vocalizations, and a contemporary instrument fit that style. It's not that it was better than eucalyptus, it just fit that particular style.
As time went on, I began an exploration of different instruments and their sound characteristics. I played more generic big bore instruments crafted from termite-hollowed eucalyptus and they responded well to my contemporary playing style, that I would best describe as jazzy. Lots of syncopation and the like. My aspen didj that you have commented on (I do owe you a recording of its voice/characteristics) is a great lively player, and I can even play some more traditional styles a la NEAL and WAL on it, but I find it lacks the deep acoustics that instruments from those region have.
So...onto more traditional instruments--instruments crafted by people from those areas that respond best to those playing styles. I think that traditional craftsmen from ALL over Australia have started to tune their instruments to concert pitch, because that is what the market is presently dictating. Instruments used in ceremony and dance didn't have to be in pitch; the puller could adjust their pitch somewhat to match the singing of the songmen. I used to be much more interested in pitch of the fundamental and the toots, but I now look for instruments that connect with me. If it's in between a D and an E, so be it. I play solo, so it doesn't much matter to me. If I'm playing with other instruments, then key can matter but it's really about self-expression.
I love that there is this great interest in indigenous music, but I think a didj that you choose should connect with you in terms of your style. I could play contemporary styles on my yidaki, but it just doesn't respond as well to it as do my agave and aspen didjs. My two mago, well they can be played contemporarily, and I do venture into more freeform playing with them.
Wow, I've rambled...hope I didn't bore you too much 
Jason
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2332 is a reply to message #2290] |
Tue, 20 December 2005 14:09 |
Daz
Messages: 157
Registered: August 2004
Location: United Kingdom
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"Do you think that the didjeridu industry has grown too quickly, with tourist grade instruments flooding the market?"
Possibly, but in the end I don't think it will matter, in fact I think it will help the traditional makers in the future, Why? Well the people that buy tourist didges/rubbish immitations will hopefully fall in love with the instrument, do some research and find what they are playing on is crap, they will then realise that they have to buy a new quality stick from a reputable dealer like our hosts in order to improve. I know you think I am dreaming, but I hope it goes this way. A few years ago something called digital came out, everyone sold their film cameras to fund their own digital rvolution. What is happening now? People are selling their digital kit to buy back into traditional, quality film kit, film in general is more reliable, has better quality and has a longer life than digital, transfer this to the didge scene and you will see what I am getting at.
"Can we reconcile the traditional place of the instrument
with the new movement toward performance-based instruments?"
I don't know why we need to, there is a place for both.
"As a modern player, do you feel eucalyptus best suits your style? "
YES. I have played a few different sticks, and nothing comes even close to eucalyptus for the sound I like, yes there are other materials out there that are very good, but I just love the dirty sound from a real eucalyptus yidaki.
"What do you think of a grading system on instruments "
Deffinately needs to be done, the sooner we can get something sorted out the better, people need to know what they are buying simple as that. People can buy whatever they like, as long as they know what they are buying and aren't being duped into buying "traditional aboriginalinstruments" that are actually mass produced in indonesia by people who dont even know where Australia is
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2334 is a reply to message #2290] |
Tue, 20 December 2005 14:55 |
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JKon380
Messages: 322
Registered: November 2005
Location: USA
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Daz:
Great comments!
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Well the people that buy tourist didges/rubbish immitations will hopefully fall in love with the instrument, do some research and find what they are playing on is crap, they will then realise that they have to buy a new quality stick from a reputable dealer like our hosts in order to improve.
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I think this is the natural progression for most of us. I learned on a straight PVC pipe, and that was enough to build the fascination to the point that I was looking for more well-constructed and responsive instruments. And for some players, the resonance of plastics resonates with them. For me, it doesn't  It's too hollow and artificial for my tastes. I really like the analogy that you provided with photography-- I work in the industry and I find traditional film to be much warmer and deeper than digital. There will always be a run back to the roots--- take the two of us as an example. We've both got an interest in NEAL style playing, and have recognized the value of a good traditional stick. I've played Yolngu-style on my contemporary sticks, but they lack the dirty tone of a yidaki 
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I don't know why we need to, there is a place for both.
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Agreed. There is very much a place for both styles, but the return to the roots signifies, to me, a recognition that the didjeridu is much more than a musical instrument, but an object with very deep cultural importance. The huge international interest in the Garma festival is testimony to that.
I love eucalyptus and the depth of the acoustics that it provides!
Jason
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2338 is a reply to message #2290] |
Wed, 21 December 2005 06:53 |
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JKon380
Messages: 322
Registered: November 2005
Location: USA
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Hi Wolf:
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When I first decided to buy a didj, it had nothing to do with style or where it was made.
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I agree. I just really DUG the sound! I think an awareness of style comes after you have been playing and you start developing your own.
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Jkon, you are obviously way more experinced in playing, then I ever hope to be,
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Wolf, you're going to make me blush  Let me tell you, when I first started, I was making all kinds of embarrassing sounds from my didj. If I could get and hold a drone for a bit, I was happy. I grabbed up every bit of information that I could from forums, the internet, instructional CDs/DVDs-you name it. I've just really grabbed onto this instrument, and I love to play. That's what really important- that you LOVE doing it!!!
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the didj is becomming more and more complicated
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Yikes! Sorry to make that impression Sometimes I get away from myself when I starting talking didj. One of things that I love about the didj scene is that there is SO much variety and stories to share, with people from all kinds of backgrounds. The didj holds it all together. I've been messing around with some recordings lately; once I get one that I really dig, I'll put it up on the forum.
Best,
Jason
Jason
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2536 is a reply to message #2290] |
Wed, 11 January 2006 05:13 |
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Skyer
Messages: 294
Registered: September 2005
Location: Netherlands
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I took the time to read this entire tread and to be honest I don't even know where to start. I've been nodding my way trough this tread and agree with most of what has been said. That aside, let me answer your questions.
Do you think that the didjeridu industry has grown too quickly, with tourist grade instruments flooding the market?
Yes it has, indeed people are selling about anything that makes noice sometimes for outrages prices. BUT! I do agree that for some people it's not a bad thing to have bought comercial crap, they fall inlove with the didge and than start thinking. Eventualy they will buy a propper didge that suits them and they'll be happy after all. The real fanatic will be able to tell crap and class appart and therefor make a wise choise. We all had to learn right?
Can we reconcile the traditional place of the instrument with the new movement toward performance-based instruments?
As I started to play didge I just "made" noice. As this noice evolved it turned into contemporary music. I really enjoy just blowing my didge and make the music I like. I must say I am honestly interested in traditional play and I am deffenatly gonna develop in that area but as far as I am concernd I play music (for me a traditional style of playing is form of music, and I will play it bacause I like the way it sounds, not because of the traditional aspect). I do not live in australia, I do not do ceranmonies, I am not traditional (indiginas), there's nothing I can change about that. That said I would like to ad that I see the importance of tradition play and admire those who keep it alive in the western world.
As a modern player, do you feel eucalyptus best suits your style?
I value the euca didge because of it's musicly aspects. Some things can simply not be achieved on pvc, bambo, teak, whatever. That's the reason I bought a euca didge, to get the most out of what I enjoy. Therefor I think euca suits me, In my eyes it has little to with being a modern player or not. I've seen aboriginals blow on about anything while they are as tradition as you can posibly be.
What do you think of a grading system on instruments.
It would be a nice asset to the industrie but the real fanatic will know his didges appart. Unfortionaly I do see that some people are just starting and buy what they believe is a decent instrument while instead it is crap. A gradind system would help but as we can see in this tread it is pretty hard to find a grading system where we can classify every didge within. I myself also believe in the feel of instrument I myself bought a authentic didgeridoo and it's key is D#, not the most fortunate key if you like to play with others. Still I bought it because that istrument fit me, I played and fell in love, it's a simple as that.
I thought the whole idea over again and came up with another question. What's wrong with a propper termite hollowed euca didge which has not entirely been made by the aboriginal people, does it not play just as good? As long as people pay a decend amound for the (termite hollowed) wood and then make a didge out of it themselfs and sell it as an real eucalyptish didge what's wrong with that?
Comments and questions are welcome
Greetz Skyer
Playing the Didgeridoo is taking the time to catch up with mother earth
[Updated on: Wed, 11 January 2006 07:06] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2537 is a reply to message #2533] |
Wed, 11 January 2006 08:23 |
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JKon380
Messages: 322
Registered: November 2005
Location: USA
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Svargo,
I'm happy that you chimed in on this discussion and it's good to see a seller's perspective on the industry and the market in general.
"Like the boomerang, the didjeridu has become an iconic symbol for a national Aboriginal identity in contemporary Australia. There are many distinct tribes, languages and cultures in Indigenous Australia, however, with only the Aboriginal groups in northern Australia possessing the didjeridu as a part of their ancestral cultural heritage. "-(c) Guan Lin
This is a controversial subject, but let me comment. I feel qualified to do so as a degree-holder in cultural theory and criticism:
Indigenous cultures that have been exploited often rally around a single object that suggests a national identity, something that they can call their own when other things have been taken away from them. Such is the case with the didjeridu. It is an iconic symbol and distinctively Australian. This is not an intentional action, but one that arises out of circumstance and feelings of national pride and identity. In the US, Native American youth have a new interest in their traditional ways and beliefs as a way of reclaiming their identities.
While Guan's developed grading scales does largely have NT instruments in mind, that comes about from anthropological/ethnomusicological study and a matter of historical fact. I hestitate to call it 'promoting' them though-- for Guan and many others who study NEAL-style playing(myself included), it's a passion for both the instrument as a musical instrument and a ceremonial object. Most consider the NT to be the epicenter of the didj, which slowly moved to other parts of Australia as groups intermingled, so Yolngu will always be the traditional custodians of the instrument. Studies have shown that the didjeridu made it into Queensland sometime in the 1800's and Western Australia sometime in the mid 1960s. This is not to devalue other Aboriginal groups and their connection with the didgeridoo (which many certainly have) but to give a reference point.
It is sad that capitalism has grabbed hold of the didj and that unscrupulous dealers have recognized the potential to make a quick buck; a few comments:
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Didjes which are cut by one Aborigine, made by another and painted by yet another (one of whom might be a traditional custodian)
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I don't necessarily consider this to be a problem; in fact, Djalu and his family often does this. He will harvest and craft, and often a member of his family will paint. There is certainly potential for abuse, and it's really unfortunate that it happens. I think that your location in Kuranda and its popularity as a tourist location gives you a perspective that I and others on the forum don't have. Less ethical sellers have recognized the international appeal of the didj and are moving in to gain financially from it.
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Didjes which are cut and/or made by an Aborigine or a non-Aborigine but sold as the product of a traditional custodian with or without that custodians knowledge
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Now this ruffles my feathers, and again, it's a case of making money at the expense of cultural assets, not out of a love and appreciation of the culture. Even worse when Aborigines are forced by circumstance to participate in clear-cutting operations that is both detrimental to the ecosystem and irresponsible; they may not like what is happening, but they need the money. Ever read "The Didgeridoo Phenomenon"? There are a number of interesting perspectives on the transforming market.
Ultimately, I think it is a case of caveat emptor- buyer beware. Anyone who develops a serious interest in playing will be able to separate the heart from the chaff, to speak poetically. In other words, differentiating serious instruments from tourist models. As in any market, there will be high quality goods and lesser quality items, and the best that we can do is educate ourselves and not support questionable suppliers with either our attention or our wallets.
Best,
Jason
Jason
[Updated on: Wed, 11 January 2006 19:03] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2862 is a reply to message #2290] |
Thu, 23 February 2006 22:38 |
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RawFoodGuy
Messages: 68
Registered: January 2005
Location: USA
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Hi
I guess like everyone here, I have strong feelings about honoring and respecting aboriginal cultures. However, my experience of being with indigenous people in general is how much respect they show for other cultures, irregardless of how those other cultures respect them! One medicine man I knew remarked that his job is to protect the trees, flowers, mountains, etc...as well as to protect, and teach, the white people who have been destroying these resources.
You can't enforce respect. It has to come from within. For example, I was once part of a spontaneous meeting with several Hopi spiritual leaders who were concerned about the disrectful use of their sacred sites. All kinds of white people were flocking to Hopi sacred sites, and in their uneducated ways trying to show respect by leaving their own sacred object, feathers and corn starch behind. Unfortunately, a lack of understanding made these acts disresepctful, because (a) in Hopi tradition only certain clans are empowered to make some of these objects and (b) rare, tediously gathered corn pollen used ceremonially is not the same thing as corn starch, but these folks didn't know the difference.
Respect can however be taught. So I am all for education...the world needs to be educated about aboriginal culture and hopefully that will lead to being more respectful. In lieu of that inner respect, I dont think anyone can judge, least of all non-aboriginals, There will be attempts to capitalize on aboriginal culture, and stopping it is a bit like trying to get people not to download mp3's....as soon as they create a copy protection scheme, someone breaks it. If you label didj's for authenticity, someone will counterfeit the label. However, if you educate people, it will be hard to fool them since there is a huge and obvious difference between the real thing and the wannabees.
But the discussion of these issues is important...more important than coming up with an easy answer.
RawFoodGuy
Didgin' Again!
Bob Ross
AIM: RawFoodGuy
Email: Robert@RawFoodLife.com
Website: www.RawFoodLife.com/didjeridoo.htm
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2877 is a reply to message #2862] |
Sat, 25 February 2006 07:08 |
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JKon380
Messages: 322
Registered: November 2005
Location: USA
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What's wrong with a propper termite hollowed euca didge which has not entirely been made by the aboriginal people, does it not play just as good? As long as people pay a decend amound for the (termite hollowed) wood and then make a didge out of it themselfs and sell it as an real eucalyptish didge what's wrong with that?
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Well, this is a complex question, so there's no easy answer:
The didgeridoo has become an immensely popular instrument in recent years, and that means that all levels of production are now involved. To begin, most of the creative work in creating a didgeridoo has been done by the action of termites, so some may argue that it doesn't matter who cuts the stick and finishes it. The real issue is the WAY that these sticks are harvested. The traditional manner of harvest is environmentally responsible and sustainable because of the relative few sticks that are taken. It's hard work and euc logs are heavy! If you have to shoulder the log and carry it, would you cut two or twenty at a time Commercial cutters can clear cut a eucalyptus stand completely and there isn't much care in the degree of 'hollowness'-- they can always be further hollowed in a workshop, especially when there are orders to be filled....see what's happening here?
It's not that these instruments will not play as good, they will just play differently...modern didge makers are crafting instruments for more contemporary players, not traditional players, so the bores tend to be more open and the sound fatter and bassier, because that's what more modern players seek. An 'excellent' modern didgeridoo made by, say, Bruce R. and Nathan B. (both white fellas)- which are AMAZING eucalyptus instruments, btw, are likely not what Djalu' and family would consider an 'excellent' instrument by Yolngu standards- we're seeking different acoustic properties and didgeridoo sound quality is very subjective. They're all 'good' in different ways. I like the gritty, gravelly 'dirty' sound of a yirdaki, so I try to seek out instruments that sound that way. More contemporary euc didges i.e Bruce and Nathan and others simply respond to different playing techniques, so I won't call either one 'better' than the other. This being said, there are certainly termited-hollowed instruments with poorer sound characteristics that wouldn't make the cut on any level and become 'souvenirs'.
The fact that non-Aboriginal peoples are making/selling termite- hollowed eucalyptus didjs is not the problem per se, but when these non-Aboriginal peoples paint didjs in sacred design (i.e Galpu clan design bands and Wititj and raark)to pass them off as 'Aboriginal art', because labeling them as such will likely bring a higher price when the didj is sold. If you've found the "Didgeridoo Phenomenon", there are a couple of chapters that eloquently discuss this very issue in great detail (far better than I can myself).
Best,
Jason
Jason,
Please remember the Didjshop policy against naming competitors in such a way that they can be easily Googled. I believe you have heard of this before.
Paul
Jason
[Updated on: Sat, 25 February 2006 21:24] by Moderator Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2880 is a reply to message #2877] |
Sat, 25 February 2006 12:16 |
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Skyer
Messages: 294
Registered: September 2005
Location: Netherlands
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Senior Member |
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Let me first say that I understand your point all to well and am completely agreeing with what you say. I've been a lucky person and had the oppertunity to play on a geniune Djalu, in my eyes there's nothing that can compare to that.
BUT, what I was talking about are people who do care for the industrie, people who buy there wood form aboriginals and prepare them for western use (protect them, sand them etc etc).
I agree that people who use dot painting and such just to sell there didges for a higher price are complete *sses. Also people who just buy "hollow sticks" no matter in what way they hollowed to fill the orders are *sses to (yes, loads of *sses in the world, I know).
But I do believe there are people who do care for the didgeridoo, and the environement. What I was implying is that a didge made by a "white fella" can be as great as an orginal Yidaki aslong as the person(s) who was involved in the making of the didgiridoo wants to sell you a propper didge for the right price. It's all a matter of what you are looking for.
I myself am a player who prefers a original Yidaki over any modern instrument but it's not posible for me to obtain one as this point so I settled for a didge made by someone who cares for the instrument and where it came from, someone who knew what he was doing. It might not be a genuin Yidaki but as far as I am concerned that stick is a great didgeridoo with a very good deal of authenticity (being cut by aboriginees and made in australie, be it by a dutch person). In that case I don't see why an didge made by an aboriginal should be any better. A Djalu is an exeptional insturment but not all aboriginals make Djalu's while some "white fellas" get dam close to the real thing. I'm not sure if my point is clear but I hope you understand what I am saying.
Playing the Didgeridoo is taking the time to catch up with mother earth
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2882 is a reply to message #2880] |
Sat, 25 February 2006 15:40 |
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JKon380
Messages: 322
Registered: November 2005
Location: USA
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Senior Member |
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What I was implying is that a didge made by a "white fella" can be as great as an orginal Yidaki aslong as the person(s) who was involved in the making of the didgiridoo wants to sell you a propper didge for the right price. It's all a matter of what you are looking for.
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Bravo, well said- this was my point exactly. Depending on the sound character you are after, an euc made by a 'white fella' can be 'better-suited' than a more traditionally crafted instrument, but this is a BIG generalization. Even quality amongst yirdaki and other didjeridu (mago, yiki-yiki, etc) craftsmen varies significantly, and a great deal of this is by nature of necessity.
I wasn't suggesting that ALL Aboriginal made instruments are exceptional- in fact, some are rather poorly constructed and only average acoustically. Quite the opposite: as you know, every euc didgeridoo is unique and nuanced in its own way.
And just a minor correction- only Djalu Gurruwiwi (a Galpu clan eleder) can make Djalu instruments. He is THE master yirdaki player and craftsmen amongst Yolngu, bar none. Both Yolngu and, in some cases, white fellas who have apprenticed with Djalu(Frank T. and Nathan B., for example) craft yirdaki. Yirdaki is only the name for didjeridu amongst Yolngu, but does mean something both in form and sound.
Best,
Jason
Jason,
Once again, remember policy.
Paul
Jason
[Updated on: Sat, 25 February 2006 21:28] by Moderator Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2884 is a reply to message #2882] |
Sun, 26 February 2006 04:30 |
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Skyer
Messages: 294
Registered: September 2005
Location: Netherlands
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Senior Member |
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[quote title=JKon380 wrote on Sat, 25 February 2006 20:40]| Quote: |
And just a minor correction- only Djalu Gurruwiwi (a Galpu clan eleder) can make Djalu instruments. He is THE master yirdaki player and craftsmen amongst Yolngu, bar none. Both Yolngu and, in some cases, white fellas who have apprenticed with Djalu(Frank T. and Nathan B., for example) craft yirdaki. Yirdaki is only the name for didjeridu amongst Yolngu, but does mean something both in form and sound.
Best,
Jason
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I knew that, what I was refering to is that not all aboriginals give you quality such as Djalu would (it was methafor). As I said the didge I played was an original Djalu (so indeed made by him), I would prefer his instruments over anything the western makers could offer me.
Playing the Didgeridoo is taking the time to catch up with mother earth
[Updated on: Sun, 26 February 2006 04:31] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: Health of the didjeridu market [message #2886 is a reply to message #2884] |
Sun, 26 February 2006 06:32 |
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JKon380
Messages: 322
Registered: November 2005
Location: USA
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Senior Member |
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| Quote: |
Jason,
Please remember the Didjshop policy against naming competitors in such a way that they can be easily Googled. I believe you have heard of this before.
Paul
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Whoops, an oversight....apologies. Guess I got a little overzealous in my posting. I really don't want to have this debate again....
Jason
[Updated on: Sun, 26 February 2006 06:42] Report message to a moderator |
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