Didgeridoo (yidaki)
Didjeridu (yidaki)
- Date
- c. 500 (arte rupestre; origen anterior posible) · confidence low
- Place
- Kakadu, Northern Territory, Australia
- Credited to
- Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia (Yolngu and neighbours)
- Field
- Tools
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What it is
A hollow wooden trumpet, often hollowed out by termites, played by buzzing the lips with circular breathing. It is Australia's most characteristic wind instrument and accompanies songs and ceremonies.
Wood does not survive: the oldest evidence is a rock painting at Ginga Wardelirrh (Kakadu) about 1,500 years old. It could be much older; this is unknown.
What it led to
- accompaniment of Arnhem songs and ceremonies
- worldwide spread as an ethnic instrument and in world music
- circular breathing technique studied in respiratory therapy