Western Australia Digeridoos
Digeridoo historyDigeridoo making Harvest
Mallee Eucalyptus The wood that sinks
Termites Termite hollowing the didgeridoos
Western Australian didgeridoos Western Australian Characteristics
With the support of the Western Australia Goldfields Specialty Timber Industry Group researchers based at the University of Washington, Seattle, have sampled a range of species, yielding some very interesting possibilities for certain timbers to create the flutes of the future. There is an intriguing possibility that certain tonal qualities might be built in to particular Goldfields species. (Source : CALM Published January 1996 Como)
Didgeridoo history - Aboriginal musical instruments
The digeridoo is possibly one of the world's oldest musical instrument.
It is a Aboriginal wind instrument originally found in Arnhem Land, Northern Australia.
In the ancient Australia, Aboriginal tribes moved around the countryside
Looking for food and water, in the harsh climate and extreme conditions.
The men carried weapons for hunting, spears, boomerangs and woomera.
The women will carry only essentials and care for the children. No space for music instruments!
But at night around the campfire, they enjoyed singing and telling stories.
They needed an instrument that was simple, easy to find.
From the surrounding fallen trees, a log hollowed out by the termites is selected. At one end the hole is roughly smoothened to form a mouthpiece. Bees wax is smeared around the mouthpiece to sit more comfortably on the lips.
In blowing gently, a unique and interesting sound is created and when adding your voice; the sound effect achieved is incredible.
The didgeridoo is also known as YIDAKI or digeridoo didjeridoo didjeridu
The didgeridoo is very easy to play and has great relaxing effects.
Aboriginal players used the didgeridoo as an accompaniment to songs and stories, reproducing animal and other nature sounds.
Today it is used in all kinds of music but also in healing, massages meditation and trances. An easy instrument to have fun with, which do not require extensive training.
Didgeridoo making - Harvest of the didgeridoo - The Law in Western Australia
"Selling or possessing stems harvested in Western Australia without
such a tag attached will be an offence under the Wildlife Conservation
Act."
Didges We Doo is licensed by the Western Australian Government Dept. - CALM (Conservation and Land Management) to harvest eucalyptus didgeridoos from the Kalgoorlie Goldfields of Western Australia. This region is located 650 Km east of Perth and is famous for its gold, extreme temperatures, dust, mallees and termites.
Didgeridoos are usually made from stems or branches of mallee eucalypts that have been naturally hollowed by the termites. The stems are cut from the plant, cleaned and painted to create the finished didgeridoo.
All stems are cut in compliance with CALM (Conservation and Land Management) rules and regulations.
Royalties are paid to CALM for each didgeridoo cut
and a numbered tag is supplied to identified each didgeridoo individually.
Mallee eucalyptus - Wood that sinks
Adapted to harsh, dry conditions, these species have to be tough. As a result, they are extremely slow growing and extraordinarily dense. Density is measured as a ratio of weight to volume. Anything higher than 1000 kg/m3 sinks in water.
Most Goldfields eucalyptus have a dry density measurement greater than 1100 kg/m3, ranking them among the densest timbers in the world.
The name " mallee " comes from an Aboriginal word for eucalyptus. The main species of Eucalyptus suitable for didgeridoos are " mallee" "snap and rattle" (Eucalyptus Celastroides), "gimlet" (Eucalyptus Salubris), "Goldfields blackbutt" (Eucalyptus Lesoueffi), sand mallee (E. eremophila)...
Mallee trees are multi-stemmed from their lignotuber base which contains numerous bark buds, and functions as a root. This is an underground woody structure that stores water and nutrients, allowing the mallee to survive in semi arid range lands. Aboriginal people in such areas used to rely on lignotubers as an important source of drinking water.
"Mallee root" and flower type
Mallees are capable of being coppiced or harvested to ground level followed by regeneration of shoots.
The leaves of some mallees provide very high quality eucalyptus oil.
Termites didgeridoos authentic Australian didgeridoos
Coptotermes acinaciformis are the termites which hollowed the didgeridoos stems. Coptotermes acinaciformis is present over the entire Australian mainland, except in a few high-rainfall areas.
No teeth are apparent on the mandibles. This species is a non-mound-builder over most of its range, but it builds mounds in Queensland and other tropical areas of Australia.
It mostly nests in trees, stumps, poles or where timber has been buried.
Favoured trees for nesting are English oaks, various eucalypts and peppercorns.
Mostly the colony is found in the root crown or the lower part of the trunk.
This species is the most destructive termite species in Australia.
It attacks all timber structures and damages forest and trees .
Western Australian didgeridoos specifications
The termites will get their only water supply in eating the center of the eucalyptus stems hollowing the bore in the process.
The arid climate result in the making of well hollowed didgeridoos.
The following images show the inside of the bore with the ridges and valleys made by the termites, these valleys are part of the didge personality they are necessary for the uniqueness of an authentic didgeridoo.
No drilling or band saw used on any of our didge.
What is the difference between, ban sawed didgeridoos and Western Australian didgeridoos?
Both are from Eucalyptus trees, both have the same pale color to start with.
In certain areas (Queensland and Northern territory) small trunks are cut, then ban sawed to remove the excess weight and shaped in flare or trumpet didgeridoos before being painted. This process weakens the wood when changes of temperature occur. Also the flare has been made by man not by termites.
In Western Australia only eucalyptus branches can be cut.
The sound of each didgeridoo is enhanced with specific techniques to guarantee the best sound of the Australian Outback.
The Basic Preparation on all didgeridoos before art work consists of Skinning / stripping the bark
Cleaning centers of all waste material, termites etc.
Cutting to length and tuning the didgeridoo
Preparing the ends and sealing to avoid splitting.
Storing for a minimum of 6 months.
Note: that all our didgeridoos are cured six month and sealed to avoid splitting.
Our priority is the didgeridoo sound qualities. Each music instrument has been tested by musicians to guarantee exceptional musicals qualities.
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