-Jimmy Carter.
I found out yesterday that it was Australia's Day. It is so cool that I know some Aussies thanks to Hive. On previous #weekend-engagement initiatives, I have talked about many things about Australia. It is a fascinating place! And before even Hive existed, I remember almost always using the cultural topics of my English Classes at college to talk something about this big country.
Maybe it was one of the last time I made a post about Australia, I mentioned visiting the Brisbane School of Guitarmaking which I follow on Instagram and admire the work they do there. The Luthier Greg Smallman was one of the craftsman who ventured into making classical guitars breaking from the traditions of Spanish luthiers. And his ideas where very interested. So much that John Williams, the famous classical guitarist, also from Australia, changed the guitars he used for performances and got into support Smallman and his designs.
However, one the things I love to do by going over Australia would be learning about the aboriginal instrument known as Didgeridoo. The first time I listened to something like that was during an exploration of acid jazz by Jamiroquai. There are some solos of this interesting instrument played in some of his songs. And since then, I've read some things about the instrument that are fascinating. Allegedly, the technique employed for playing helps people with sleep apnea.
It most have one of the weirdest mouthing of all wind instruments. It is a single piece of wood with a hollowed inside. It is usually made of regional species of Eucalyptus or other hardwoods. And it is played by making sounds with your mouth on one end, to have the shape of the instrument make it sound sort of deep and robotic. And I'm talking of a instrument that's thousands of years old.
So, I'd love to go to the Northern regions of Australia to meet some of the aboriginal tribes and learn about this instrument. Even if I can see how they make them, it would be amazing. The idea of the instrument reminds me something we have in the south of Venezuela that is called "Palo e lluvia" (rain stick). This is a stick that is filled with seeds and other things that makes the sound of pouring rain if you flip it over. Putting 1 and 1 together, I bet this instruments came to be as a way of reproducing some sounds of nature. Didgeridoo is an imitation of the sounds made by howling in caves or something similar.
So my idea of being in Australia for a weekend would be learning about Didgeridoo's. I know that the trunks of trees are harvested and to save time, they take the ones that have been hollowed out by termites. That's one of the best examples of symbiosis between nature and music I can think about.
Besides, I bet that being around there, they could also teach me how to make some of their throwing weapons like boomerangs and other things they use. And that way, I would become a little bit Aussie. Or at least, not be afraid of the 12.000 species of animals in there that could kill me.
- Photos 📷: taken by me (Redmi Note 8)
- Editing 🎬: by me, made with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
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Siempre me ha encantado ver que culturas tan diferentes creen objetos similares o instrumentos únicos, es muy interesante. Por cierto ¿No te da un poco de miedo que la gran mayoría de animales de Australia sean venenosos?
Eso lo hace emocionante 😂
Australia has a lot of culture and masterful places to know and adventure, it would be a great weekend, enjoying and knowing all its history, greetings.
Indeed. And I think this has to be like my 5th post dedicated to Australia and the things I like about that country.
A new thing from Australia that I know, I didn't know that instrument although if the water stick, there is also in Argentina. It would be wonderful to know about the tribes and to learn how to make that instrument. Thank you Andres!❤️
Australia is really big and has a lot to offer, not only deadly animals.
I want a koala!
I think it's illegal to have such an animal as a pet.
I'll settle for touching it.... hahaha
😂
This is a great post bro. Also, I have two digeridoo's (both my brother's - not the one on Hive - who had them for some reason). You're welcome to them because all I can do is make them sound like an ailing fucken elephant. Lol.
Ha, ha, ha, ha. I was going to ask if you had one you could show me on a photo. I had to take the vacuum cleaner's pipes for the photos.
I've seen some of the way to play it and it's bonkers. Maybe I can make some music, but I doubt it 😂
I'll see if I can dig out out of storage for a photo. It's a lot fatter in diameter than a vacuum cleaner pipe and harder to play. I play the trumpet so thought, fuck yeah, this'll be easy, but it was not. My brother got pretty good at it though.
The mouthing is a completely different thing. It must have been a tough experience.
I hope you get to try it as I know you like music and instruments the same as I do.
I could try to make one with pvc pipes. I've seen it done before.
That actually works, I've seen it done before.
They use bees wax to mold the mouthpiece so the seal is complete, that's important. There should be some YouTube videos on it.
I think it would be very neat to watch the aboriginal people make it, then play it as well. There is something about original acoustic music I love. Do hope you are able to get your own someday.
You and me both. It would be such an amazing experience to get to learn about the instrument and music from the people who created it.