Traditional Didgeridoos

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How do the aboriginals know if a tree will make a good didgeridoo?

Traditional Didgeridoos

To make a traditional didgeridoo, the aboriginals go out into the bush to find trees where the white ants (termites) have done a thorough job of hollowing. They tap on tree trunks until they find one that sounds right. Then they cut it down very carefully so it will resprout (probably the earth's original environmentalists) and use a long stick or tree branch to clean out the bore of the trunk. Then they remove the bark from the trunk in order to increase the resonance and get it ready for decorating. Didgeridoos for ceremonial use would be decorated in specific prescribed manners and designs, those for personal use to suit the player, if decorated at all. Finally a bee's wax or tree pitch mouthpiece would be attached to the playing end and another didgeridoo was ready to spread the sound of the earth.

   

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