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francesco reports
'in a world where more and more rules and limitations
have been set, a world less and less creative, where
more and more barriers have been risen, where people
think more and more solely about producing and
consuming, a world measured more and more by a
privileged minority and where the freedom of
expressing yourself has become the rarest thing.

in this world losing its freedom and becoming more
and more superficial, there is still an instrument created
and donated to us by nature itself. a musical instrument
of the most ancient roots. an instrument which still hasn’t
heard of any set limits nor rules. an instrument which
represents the freedom of self-expression and which
can become a voice for everyone.
even for those who have never tried it . . .

I had the privilage of staying with djalu gurruwiwi,
the foremost expert on making and playing didjerdu.
he and his family are based during the ‘wet season’
at sky beach on arnhem land in the north of the
northern territory of australia.

djalu is a senior member of the yolngu tribe and part of
the galpu clan. he was handed the expertise and
responsibility of looking after the didjeridu by his father,
monyu, a noted yolngu leader during his time.

djalu’s responsibility is great because other clans within
the tribe look to him for guidance and knowledge on
secret and sacred cultural practices.
the didjeridu is not merely an instrument or a source of
entertainment to the yolgnu.
it is instead an entrenched way of life.
it permeates the spiritual and day-to-day customs of
aboriginal culture.

the australian government has built sort of bungalows
to accomodate aboriginal people in their own land.
at the same time the governement hasn’t stopped the
atrocities caused by a big mine built in aboriginal land.
some aboriginal people call the mine ‘the monster’.
alcohol and supermarkets have followed together
with environmental deterioration.
only white people work there.
the intrusion of these supermarkets, television and
our ‘money culture’ in their lives has created a lot of
confusion and desperation.

quite a few aboriginal people earn money by selling their
art through cooperatives created to protect aboriginal
culture.
usually this money is then spent for fun, sweets and on
alcohol. once hungry they still go hunting or fishing
for food with their spears.
living with them made me realize that food is not
guaranteed every day.
I decided to use my previous experience and skills
as a restauranteur to cook for djalu and his family.
we made a sort of exchange - cooked food for
didjeridu technical lessons -.
not having a real kitchen, it took me four hours to
make a very simple pasta.
people arrived from all over ski beach to eat.

many thanks to djalu and his family, to the people of
buku-larrngay mulka, to mark robinson, to bob druett
and to all the people I met. thanks for teaching me so
many things and for being such an inspiration to me.
see you later.’

you can contact francesco
to share knowledge about didjeridu and / or purchase
authentic instruments he brought home from his trip
info@didjeridu.net

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see


what is a didjeridu



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how to play a didjeridu



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artwork on didjeridu

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more reading
http://www.djalu.com
http://www.ididj.com.au/home/index.html