iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

I was thinking about that old man today, and remembering when I asked him if he could play a bit of Bungal for me. I'd never supposed that he would or could, I guess I presumed that he would be familar with it but was curious if he ever played it. He responded with his famous crooked smile and a laugh. "Oh, yeah...sure..." and he sang a short vamp for me, laughed again and put his WAL didj to his lips and ripped off a short passage of NEAL style rapid fire hard tongued beats with exaggerated 'dup' notes sprinkled liberally in all in the space of about 30 seconds. Finishing, he flashed me that same crooked grin and laughed.

I presumed he'd played that style a time or too -- if only privately, on perhaps on a dare. Truth is, I really don't know. I wish I had a recording of it. All I really did learn from that is that a style is a choice - not by reason of limitations but choosen. A traditions are tradition and they are kept as a matter of what? Duty, choice of free will? Honor to one's family? Anyway, I still think about that day from time to time. I'd like to say I "learned" something, but as always every question answered spawns an overwhelming list of more questions. I guess what I did learn was to keep asking the questions.

Hey Ed,

I assume you're talking about The Bomb? Nice story!

Guan