iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

Hi all, just to let you guys know that I've made most of the videos featuring didgeridoo on the iDIDJ Australia YouTube channel private, they're all still there so don't worry, all I did was adjust the settings on each and every video clip, all 592 of them. It was a good exercise as it made me familiar with all of them again.

There are some issues we need to sort out and discuss so anyone n everyone pls feel welcome to chip in n have ur say.

One of my concerns is what happens to the material that I have uploaded to YouTube once they're in the public domain. I'd like to formulate a set of guidelines at least, and possibly a formal agreement between users/subscribers and iDIDJ Australia and the traditional owners (TOs) of the instrument as a follow-up to the Garma Yidaki Statement from 1999. If you are not familiar with the statement, it is here:

http://www.garmafestival.com.au/yidaki/y_statement.htm

To quote from the Garma website:



There are a myriad of issues when cultural intellectual property is embraced by wider society without conscious thought as to the repercussions of actions and words on our part and its my aim to firstly make this clear, and secondly to put into action concrete plans that will help us in our use of this musical instrument and cultural property, in consultation with relevant authorities in the instrument's heartland in northern Australia. It will mean consultation and discussion with TOs of the ramifications of the internet and the ease with which we are able to access information in this technological age, but more importantly, how that information is used.

So it is my hope that all of you have something to say about this!

Well that's about it for me, I'm done for the day and I look forward to interesting discussions here.

Guan

Hey Guan,

I don't know if you remember me from YouTube, but I am one of your subscribers and I enjoy viewing your videos. I would like to know what the issues are with the videos that you made private. I really enjoy watching them and have used some (or may use some in the near future) as visual observations for anthropological study of indigenous Australians.

Watching your videos has practically been like fieldwork for me, since I have no personal access to events like the ones you record on camera.

Hopefully we can resolve the issue ,

Kalvin

Hey Guan.
I think I see the issue, but I don't really see what can be done.

Let me explain: the idea of a chart is a great one, but imagine for some reason someone honestly interested in traditional didgeridoo is unable to sign the chart, does that mean he cannot access any content? That seems a bit harsh. The advantage of public domain was to ease access. But the chart is only possible if there is a consensus amongst the TO, which I believe isn't the case yet. So on a video to video basis, you'd have to ask the TO if it should be made public or not.

I you were talking about the copyrights of personal image like the American do, personnally I've never thought this right to be appliable as long as non-commercial use is concerned. I think it should be set on a person to person basis, for which most of the people you shot probably already agreed to.

The videos, even if riped from youtube, is in too poor a quality for any possible commercial use (same for the audio), but they can be used has an archive for all the genuine learners, so again, maintining public domains weighs more.

The only real problem is about the patterns displayed in the videos. But then, once again, the difference between genuine users and stealers would be commercial use (I'm thinking cds, but if proof of misuse should be brought forward, it should be possible to sue workshops or teachers). So a big warning on the channel homepage -- saying any commercial use of the displayed material shall and will be prosecuted, while the free-sharing for non-commercial used is encouraged (cf the anti-rights Hakim Bey set on some of his books (like T.A.Z.)) -- would be great, and then explaining why it's here with a chart.

But this is only possible if traditional music has a status as cultural property, which I understood isn't the case yet, since what is shared in your videos is "public domain" for Yolngu. So you'd have to add a clause for non-Yolngu, or for media use, but that could mean it becomes unfree for worldwide users which once again cannot be beneficial in the long-run. I believe in the free exchange of data (as long as it's respectful), and if majors can't fight it, I honestly don't see how Yolngu can without being detrimental to the music diffusion, which IMHO was the biggest achievement of the channel (through diffusion comes recognition).

Let's face it, without ididj, I wouldn't be aware of all the alcohol and suicide problems Aboriginal people encounter because an hypocritical government holds them in third world conditions if not for a long-term destruction, at least to hinder community awereness and political self-determination.

So maybe you can maintain public domain only for Australian users, and make subscriptions for other users. The drawback is you would still have 22 millions of uncontroled users; but that still beats 6 billions of uncontroled users, right? (if want you want is control and not diffusion)

Anyhow, you can reassure the TO that most uses of the material displayed were made respectufully, since only tradish players are able to use the material -- curious listeners can only listen -- and tradish players already respect Aboriginal culture. Regular didgeridoo players don't care or cannot use it, so no worries there.

Concerning all the above, I was talking about paying subscribtions -- so if someone can explain me what are the advantages of free subscriptions against unregistered users, thanks because I think I've missed this point.

Overall, I think I misunderstood what the issue was, sorry Guan, but I spent too much time writing this to just delete it, anyway that's a good insight on how a western user feels.
Cheers,
Joe.

While I think that the videos you have shown on Youtube have been a great resource for trad enthusiasts and good for increasing public awareness of aboriginal issues, I have always wondered what the aboriginal people themselves feel about the exposure, which is why I have not publicly shown any Yolngu recordings or videos I have taken in Arnhemland. There seems to be resignation that they have little control over what cultural and private issues are displayed in public. Glad you have decided to try to seek this kind of permission and governance from the TOs here. I will be very impressed if you can secure authorization from a consensus of TO leadership to approve the distribution of such material under generally agreed upon terms. Good luck!

Hi Joe,

The issues aren't any that have been brought up or suggested so far, so don't worry too much about them just yet - I'm all for everything that every1 has said so far too.

I'll take some time to reflect on the issues a little more and put together some points so that ppl here can appreciate the subtle difference between free expression and not hurting others.

Guan

I think you are a bit overly optimistic. Whether due to ignorance or intentionally, whether influenced by trad culture or not, didge players commonly appropriate things aboriginal in nature, misrepresent them, use them for their own power and even pretend aboriginality by using such info .

Of course, you're right.

The "it" in the last sentence is suppose to mean "the Aboriginal material displayed in the videos" ie the patterns and the techniques.

What I tried to say was that traditional playing, and the tradish playing that follows, can be considered as autonomous systems were everything is intertwined, where one element cannot exist without the others: the breathing, the mouth cavity shape, the use of the diaphragm, of the voice, the rhythms, the instrument... Alter only one of those elements, and the music isn't trad style any longer, it's something else.

So if a contemporary guy thinks "dhirls" are nice and decides to put dhirls with puffed cheeks in his playing, well I think it shouldn't be called traditional because it doesn't sound traditional. So if the guy still makes an aboriginality claim, well that's wrong, it's only trad inspired, but the only weapon I see against this sort of claim is by increasing awareness of trad sound through diffusion, so it's the audience on its own that can say "this is guy is full of s***, he doesn't sound trad at all".

And I stated patterns in the videos cannot be used based on my experience: without slow motion, I'm unable to fully transcript a pattern from an audio or a video source (except slow ones), so I assumed any average contemporary style didgeridoo player can't either (which is likely since most of them wouldn't even have studied the basic trad articulations or wouldn't care enough to go through all the trouble of finding ways to view youtube videos in slowmotion).
Because they are highly technical, most of the videos Guan had posted were safe.

EDIT: I can seem a little care free about what I say about contemporary style players not caring about traditional style (sorry if I've offended anyone), but that's how things are in my country: they couldn't care less. It's all about didgeboxing and making electro or psychedelic noises.

I want to preface this by saying that I may misunderstand the Yolngu side of this, but my thoughts are based on what I have experienced first hand in Arnhem Land:

The playing techniques are also intrinsic to the people themselves and like everything in their world intertwined not only with playing yidaki and manikay but also their identity. I know that Yolngu opinions are varied about whether balanda should be playing didgeridoo at all or playing Yolngu style or to what degree. I have seen different balanda told very different things by different Yolngu in this regard, myself included. I have personally been encouraged to play Yolngu style, invited to play in ceremony and told to play clan songs for people in my own country so they can hear a little something of Yolngu culture, but I have never been comfortable being put into that role with the misunderstanding it creates once removed from Arnhem land. I have also been told by other Yolngu that balanda should not even play didgeridoo at all, and that playing their style is stealing. So is public accessibility of these techniques and songs so innocuous? All of us who play didge and especially play trad styles have the potential to act in ways that are culturally inappropriate by using this stuff, sometimes without the realization of what we are doing. It is not a situation with an equal playing field when cultural laws and customs pertaining to identity and ownership are so different.

Thanks Joe and Ben for continuing the dialogue, I think it is useful for us to be more conscious of our thoughts n actions, it is very easy to focus on our own personal needs and wants and to base all of life around this, but extending that and shifting the paradigm, to think first of others and how actions n thoughts can have consequences n repercussions n how these might impact on others, it makes us better people in the long-run. That's all I'm saying anyway, to be conscious and aware n to nurture the connections we have with each other.

Guan

Guan

Rewinding a few years when you first started post these vidoes to Youtube, wasn't all that is being discussed here an issue then?

Paul

Hi Paul,

I don't quite catch on, can you elaborate? My mind is elsewhere at the moment hahaha

Guan

All the issues being discussed here regarding the use of(missuse of)/ownership rights etc of the Youtube videos + other issues that we here may not be aware of yet, weren't these (or at least some of them) an issue or a subject that came up for discussion with the owners when you first started posting them to Youtube years ago? When you first starting videoing the artists were they aware what the vids were being used for and the worldwide exposure they and their art/culture would receive?

Paul

Hi Paul,

Ok, I got you now, thanks!

When I first started posting videos on YouTube, there wasn't an issue from Arnhem Landers with me posting the videos online, if it was an issue or if we discussed it you'll have to remind me with the details. The first video uploaded by the way was of Darryl Dikarrnga and White Cockatoo performing at the Darwin Festival, a little bit of backstage footage plus the performance itself.

Since then the collection of videos posted has grown, covering all sorts of topics, areas, musical styles, events etc. When I first started taking video recordings, it wasn't with the aim of putting them online on YouTube. YouTube didn't even exist then. I did it for community use and also as as record of my experiences. All the material I shot in Ramingining for instance, were copied onto VHS tapes (that's all we had to work with in the 1990s) and a set left in the community with one household that I spent a lot of time with and in. Same with all photographs that I took.

So to get to your question, did the people shown in my clips know what would be done with the footage other than it was for research and community purposes, the answer is no. Hell, even I didn't know what to do with it, all I knew was that I was sitting on borrowed time so to speak as all the material I have taken are tape-based. Film for cameras (no digital cameras then), cassettes for tape recorders (later Minidic which was a more sturdy format for field use) and video cassette tapes. They all deteriorate over time, get damaged from humidity, oxidation, temperature etc.

In the early days of YouTube and having already uploaded videos there, I explained the YouTube phenomenon in subsequent shootings though countrymen had never heard of YouTube and it was quite a task explaining it. The internet was also unfamiliar to a vast majority of Aboriginal people in Top End communities. I found my explanations were greatly helped by showing people exactly what it was and physically bringing people to computer stations and getting onto YouTube and showing them the clips that I had on there. Never had any protestations or negative feedback from anyone.

Since then, the internet and YouTube are a lot more familiar to countrymen, mostly accessed through mobile phones/smart phones. The feedback I have gotten from individuals and families in the Top End has been positive, to the extent that I get asked to film certain things or events when something important is going to happen usually ceremony-related or focussing on some aspect of culture. Being asked to film Nga:rra' for instance at Milingimbi, being asked by Frank Dj. Garawirrtja's wife to attend her husband's memorial at Elcho Island and to record the event. Numerous requests from the Gurruwiwis to record things ranging from stories and oral testimonies that can be used by lawyers/anthropologists in court, to funerals, birthday parties etc. Plus a host of other events that Yolngu have asked me to shoot around the traps.

The clips that are online are also viewed and used by Yolngu and Bininj, they're quite popular in communities, for example, I mentioned how Mikey Guyanya has used it to further his own study of the masters especially those no longer with us. The Dunganda Street Sounds guys having their vids on YouTube and families and friends being able to go online to see what they've been up to etc. etc. Lots of other examples where the videos at least to me seem to advance Aboriginal interests.

In this way, I feel the videos have a use and purpose far greater than our own needs and wants in mainstream Western society (let's just call everything outside of Arnhem Land 'Western society" for convenience).

Have Aboriginal people ever had problems with me holding a camera in their face and capturing their culture on tape? Yes. I recall one time at an outstation of Ramingining at a purification ceremony. Lots of families were there, not only from Ramingining and some outstations, but the Madarrpa from Gove way were their special guests and important people in aspects of the ceremony. As per usual, I had all my gear with me, that's what I did in those field-research days, I'd bring all my gear everywhere I went. And also as per usual, I was asked to film the ritual that was unfolding before me. Anything relating to death or funerals I make a point of not shooting unless I think it is an important one that needs to be recorded in which case I ask permission. This one I didn't think was that important so I didn't ask to shoot, however, one person asked me to shoot and after getting reassurance from those around me that it was ok, I proceeded to get my equipment ready for shooting. As soon as I started, one person protested and it was David Gulpilil, he had the right to intervene as he was one of the djunggayi (managers) for the crocodile ceremony (that's his mother and he is the crocodile egg, yothu-yindi relationship), he said he'd fine me a million dollars if I was to keep shooting. Naturally, I stopped immediately. However, an even more senior djunggayi, Tom Djurrbi Dalparri, stepped in and asked me to continue to shoot. Because he was senior to Gulpilil and a person of absolute authority (he's also the boss for Gunabibi men's secret ceremony from Djilpin) in these matters, I at least felt vindicated but decided not to shoot anyway in order not to upset David. Though he did later apologise in his own way and made up in his own way.

That was the one and only time I experienced adversity with my video taking.

Some material I put up on YouTube I know is dubious, specifically, images of the deceased, and I try to cover that by having the disclaimer in my profile description (since replaced by a new description as of a few days ago) as well as within the video itself though that does not happen all the time. In specific videos, I've contacted family members to ask for their feedback and usually had been told "dhapirrk", "latju" or words to that effect when seeing their deceased brother, son, grandson etc.

I've removed or made private a couple of videos that families said are insensitive, for example, George Rr. Burarrwanga playing yidaki in his hospital dressing gown just before he passed away.

I'm also on airg.com almost everyday where lots of community members hang out in cyberspace and have 381 friends from throughout the whole area so if there's any issue at any time it's not difficult for them to tell me about it, my mobile number is also with lots of families so there's no difficulty with communication in this day and age.

But like I said, there are other issues some of which we are beginning to understand now but more about that at a later time, for now, its just handy for us to think more deeply and be more conscious and conscientious including myself. And discussing these things is a good move I think, it raises awareness and gets dialogues happening.

Guan

Ok, one potential problem, wonder what you guys think:



I must admit I was shocked to see Galpu miny'tji on a plastic pipe, it might be a common thing yes? The whole issue of who can paint what is a complex one. I've been asked to paint miny'tji and have done so under close supervision by Yolngu, I did that in 1994 in Ramingining. Also been asked to decorate the bodies of dancers and young boys going through initiation. That was in the early days. I don't do that now even when asked, just don't feel comfortable with it. I personally wouldn't paint a didgeridoo with Yolngu designs or any designs that could be recognisable as having characteristics of intellectual and cultural property in the eyes of the design owners, even if they allowed me to or asked me to.

Guan

No, I don't think it's a common sight. It's a bit shocking since the guy's playing is... questionable.
I myself wanted to paint a sandidge I had made (before I started to get interested in trad style), but I quickly left the idea when I learned the paintings had clan meanings while looking for patterns. Even then it didn't seem right.
Also, nowadays, the trend is to let the didge raw or varnished, people painting didges must really be scarce (except professionals but they don't copy clan patterns, but give a "yidaki" feel to their painting, so that's not really the same).

So you could paint. Are you initiated? Or does it have nothing to do with it? Oh wait... I'm being indiscreet again, right?
I'm sorry, I was born without a tact fairy above my cradle. :/