Introduction to the Didgeridoo

Discover the ancient Aboriginal art of playing the didgeridoo, an iconic instrument that has been used for thousands of years in traditional ceremonies and storytelling with Ngulmiya and Nayurryurr Nundhirribala. Participants will be guided through the fundamentals of playing the didgeridoo, including how to produce different sounds, rhythms and breathing techniques.

Yidaki—the Aboriginal term for the didgeridoo, in the indigenous Yolngu language—was discovered in East Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. Claimed to be the world’s oldest wind instrument. the didgeridoo is traditionally made from the tree limbs and trunks of hardwoods (eucalyptus and sometimes, bamboo or pandanus) native to the region, that have been hollowed out by termites. Its shape is therefore irregular, and the instrument produces a low resonant droning sound that can incorporate complex rhythmic patterns.