iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSoRHFNM ... AC&index=0

On the video above (posted in another bit of the forum as 'the Pemulwuy project'), you can hear didgeridu if you listen closely. It just occured to me that the didgeridu on it provides something: an 'indiginous' feel to the film. What I am interested to hear from people on the forum is if you all agree on this. Is authenticity an issue here, or does the didgeridu offer a little bit legitimacy to the film (not that it needs it mind you, but I am curious)...

Is musical/stylistic authenticity an issue in this film, or can it be ignored in favour of the message that the film makes, i.e. that of the 'pulling together' of aboriginal people?

I have been part of threads here and on the SS forum, where authenticity has been discussed, and I am interested to find out if the members of the forum can foresee scenarios/situations when the didgeridu could be viewed as a tool to unite, rather than either a tourist gimmick (on eBay), or a Yolngu symbol?

Dan

Interesting issue Dan. I don't have strong views on this but it is apparent that the didgeridoo is seen by most of the general population as an Aboriginal thing, rather than a northern Australian thing. So for the vast majority of viewers and media producers, there would not be anything odd in hearing the didgeridoo in a documentary about the struggles of a NSW Aboriginal group.

Whether there is contestation over the didgeridoo within Aboriginal Australia depends on context. In land rights struggles going back several decades to the present it has been a tool to unite and has been seen as a pan-Aboriginal symbol. However, when it comes to economics and intellectual property issues, we know that there have been disputes about who is entitled, by Aboriginal customary law, to make and use the instrument for economic benefit.

Guan

That's a really interesting question, Dan. If you take what Guan says here:

then I guess it becomes a bit of a gimmick. Probably a powerful one if you are a casual observer of indigenous rights in general.

The style seems really gritty and urban. Does it reflect the area of Redfern?

There is a certain amount of gimmickiness, I think, but the didgeridu seems to be like a signiture in music - giving the listener a certain mental picture. Clay, Redfern is gritty - it is a part of Sydney where there is a lot of poverty, and now gentrification. TJ Hickey was from Refern.

Dan

Hi there

I was just watching a video yesterday, like a trip arround australia and the music was didgeridoo played with beat box and all the thecno noise .As i was watching images representing Aboriginal culture all along this "road trip" and tought the didgeridu is now own by a popular culture . To me this kind of music as nothing to do with Aboriginal culture exept the instrument itself but for more and more people who get in the " didg thing" it is .Thats the "way" to play ! hmmm
Am i out of context here ? oh ist one of my grumpy morning should get an expresso before .

GGW

Personally I as a contempory user of the didge as well as trad styles dont see any problem with this what so ever maybe the linking directly to aboriginal culture but then again look at Ash Dargon, David Hudson, Yothu Yindi and even David Blansi all aborigionals but all using trad playing and contemp playing and mixing it up. Nowt wrong with that and more power to anyones elbow for doing that it can only be good for the didge seen as a whole on the world stage as an instrument and no one will be able to tell me different.

as long as we who know the true origins and pass on that message to people who dont cant see there being any harm in it at all..... do I detect a fight coming on

Hi there



Thats is what i was trying to say .I have nothing against contemporary didgeridoo player or music but when i see picture or a video of Yolgnu's as example and i hear Thecno wiggy waggy didgeridoo to go with it and or to represent it , i dont get it .
I have no problem with Aboriginal artist or white fellas playing any kind of style ,not at all .



Is there a reason to fight ?

GGW

I wonder if the didgeridu could be seen as a symbol of aboriginalness like the yellow, red and black flag is to mainlanders?
I am having fun playing with ideas, I guess..

It already is Dan!

I think I may have just gone in a big circle!

I wouldn't say that Ash Dargin and David Hudson play trad at all, though for marketing purposes they might have been promoted as such...

Guan

Phil (pacdidj), you there? I'd be interested in hearing your views about this as you would no doubt have a broad view about such things when it comes to music. The whole continuity and change thing when it comes to traditions and how cultures cannot be defined simply by what happened in the past.

Guan

It could also be said that they are more trad than most people on here especially Ash as he is from the top end as they are both indigiounus rather than myself for example who has only been to Oz for a 2 week holiday to Adelaide and Sydney

Ash is not from the Top End, although his ancestors are. It's my understanding he grew up in Melbourne (or some other Southern city) with his adoptive family and was schooled in the UK for a period. It was only later in his life that he connected with his indigenous relatives.

Im only going on the literature thats in his learning to play CD which says hes from Darwin so thats an interesting swing he was schooled in Blighty do you know where abouts?