What is a didgeridoo?
A didgeridoo is a simple instrument, yet able to be so diverse in its abilities. As with image-making, Aboriginal music also 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 didgeridoo, a long wooden hollow tube, perhaps the oldest musical instrument on earth. The didgeridoo draws from the earth below it to create haunting sound and imagery.
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 animal 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 didgeridoo. For the Aborigine, the observation of nature immediately requires a state of empathy and understanding, which leads to a heartfelt expression.”
