Australian aborigines are one of the strangest and most difficult mysteries of the world. Until the colonists arrived, these tribes "froze" in the Stone Age. They did not have time to invent a wheel, they could neither write nor count. However, their spiritual development, quite likely, surpassed the rest of the earthly civilization. Religion and ceremonies of the Australian tribes are closely related to music, and the main instrument in this field of art is deemed to be dideridoo. What it is? How to play it? What is its meaning?
Brief description of the tool
Let's start with the fact that "didgeridoo" is the name that was coined by the Americans and Europeans. That is how they nicknamed the peculiar “pipe”, which was played by Australian indigenous tribes during the rituals. The Australians themselves call this tool the word "Yedaki", and its homeland is the north of their homeland.
According to the photo, didgeridoo is a wind instrument that is a hollow wooden tube, the length of which can vary from one to three meters. The manufacturing technique is extremely simple. In dry weather, termites eat eucalyptus trunks from the inside. People cut down such trees, knock out dust from them and grind to the right size.
Outside, such tubes are covered with drawings symbolizing local beliefs, rites and rituals. In the photo, the DJerid also shows that the instrument is equipped with a mouthpiece. It is made from beeswax, which is firmly fixed on dried wood.
From antiquity to modernity
What is didgeridoo as indigenous to Australians? When did he first appear on this continent? How did you survive to this day? Based on the fact that such a musical instrument, in fact, is created by nature itself, it was established that it was born long before any civilization was born in Europe or the East.
The ancient tribes of Australia played the Yedaki during the most important ritual - Korabori. This is a kind of reunion with the divine principle, during which men painted their bodies, decorated them with feathers and danced. It was believed that the sound or rather the roar of this instrument leads into a trance, tunes in a spiritual mood.
In an amazing way, what is this - didgeridoo, learned by modern people, ordinary travelers and newcomers. One of these was the composer Steve Roach, who learned to play this “pipe” from representatives of ancient tribes. After him, the yedaki brought fame worldwide to Richard David James. It was he who applied the sound of didgeridoo in the composition of the same name, which in the early 90s simply blew up British nightclubs. Since then, all lovers of ambient and folk often use the sound of this mysterious instrument in their tracks.
The Yedaki Game Process
The didgeridoo instrument is non-standard not only in its sound, but also during the game. It is significant that to play on it it is not at all necessary to have a hearing or even a sense of rhythm. The most important thing is to feel the instrument, comprehend its essence and purpose and have a strong, even breathing. It is on the technique of continuous breathing that the essence of the didgeridoo game is built, and the sound quality depends on the strength of the inspiration.
There is also a special exercise that can teach you how to play this instrument, and some call it “horse”. All you need to do is learn to “snort” like this ungulate animal, and remember how your lips, tongue and cheeks move during this action. After you take the mouthpiece into your mouth and repeat the usual movements with your lips and cheeks. It is important to stay as relaxed as possible - only in this case will you be able to extract at least some sound from the yedaki.
Sound
You can understand what this didgeridoo is only after you hear it. The sound of this instrument cannot be compared with anything existing in our world. The yedaki range covers only one note, and its height depends on the size of the tube. Small and thick always sound high, and long and thin - low. But at the same time, the vibrations emitted by this single note immediately suggest thoughts about other worlds, and meditation, about shamanistic rites and mysterious beliefs.
Undoubtedly, the Australian instrument introduces didgeridoo into a trance, makes you forget about the realities and move into the world of dreams, fantasies. There is also an interesting fact - Australian natives often used the Yedaki skill to lure the woman they liked.
Healing music
Due to the fact that didgeridoo has become an incredibly popular tool all over the world, even doctors are interested in it, oddly enough. The fact is that playing on it implies the presence of permanent, continuous breathing, which, in turn, is achieved through lengthy training.
The game of Yedaki, according to doctors, helps get rid of a number of respiratory ailments, strengthens the immune system and strengthens the nervous system. Separately, it is also worth noting that often the sound of didgeridoo is included during a therapeutic massage. This sound helps to relax the muscles, relieve pain and speedy healing of wounds.