Here's a few photos and videos of me playing my Genuine Aboriginal made Yirdaki (aka: Didjeridoo) that my wife surprised me with in the spring of '07. I have wanted an authentic aboriginal yirdaki for over a decade and now it has finally happened!! It is an amazing work of art that sounds absolutely amazing and I just love to play it! At times it almost plays itself or plays me...it is hard to describe the feeling it gives me to play this awesome yirdaki!
On November 14th 2007 I played at the local pub. It was a very special night as it was the day before Steve Irwin Day on November 15. Steve was my hero so I dedicated my entire set to him.
The yirdaki sounded so unbelievable and as I was playing I fell into what I call "the zone" when I had an awesome "vision" --I saw images of Steve's life, Crocs, Goannas, Elephants and Steve and his enthusiasm for life, his family and wildlife all flashing through my mind like a waterfall! It was so amazing and I think the vision manifested itself through the sound of my yirdaki. A friend in the audience said that I played better than he has ever heard me play!
It was an amazing experience to say the least! After the first
song, I received a round of applause which made me feel really great!! I then
asked my friend Cameron to join me with his yirdaki and we played another
tune for Steve--even more amazing with two yirdaki! Then I invited all the musicians in the audience to join us on the last song--a jam session of a sort.
Cameron grabbed his drum and drummed while I played the yirdaki and
folks joined in with shakers, a guitar, foot stomping and then someone
started to chant--I got chills--the energy in the room was so thick
you could feel it--the sounds were real, raw and powerful--so
wonderful to be a part of!
Check out this video from a jam session at my cabin on the spring worldwide didjeridoo meditation in March 2008.
Here's another one from the Equinox on the Oregon coast in June 2008.
Check out part 2 here!
Here's another great jam session with local band Ten Toe Turbo at the Back Room pub in Flat Rock, NC!
...and another jam with Cameron and Jason at the Back Room!
And check out this one! Cameron gets funky on the beatbox and drum while I drone away o the didj in the background!!
I also participate in the Worldwide Didjeridoo Meditation at every solstice/equinox. Usually I am either with a few friends around a campfire and once I was at the pub. It is always an awesome experience so check out the videos for past didj meditations. Learn more about the Worldwide Didjeridoo Meditation here
I also regularly play my yirdaki at my work. I am an environmental educator and naturalist at a very unique place called Earthshine Mountain Lodge near Brevard, NC. We host families, corporate groups and school groups. I play to any and all at evening camp fires often on top of a mountain, sitting around a Cherokee medicine wheel with a huge bonfire below and the milky way above as I did just last night. I tell the story of the yirdaki and how important it is Aboriginal culture. Then I play several tunes while the folks listen and learn. It is always a very magical experience.
Thank you Aboriginality and Didjshop for my Didj, it is a wonderful work of art. Thank you Didjshop for running such a great website for folks like me can go to not only buy yirdaki but also to learn the history of the wonderful yirdaki and the wonderful Aboriginal culture who brought it to this world.
The Story of This Yirdaki
This wonderful yirdaki was made by "Aboriginality--a husband and wife partnership. Matt takes over the sticks from the termites (white ants) and works just as hard as they did, to turn the sticks into didgeridoos. The bark of the tree has to be removed and then smoothed for burning. After that it is given protective coats of sealer and a mouthpiece is formed out of pure bees wax. All this is done expertly by Matt, the didgeridoo maker.
"Judy gives the didgeridoo an artistic appeal. The burnt-in aboriginal art on her didgeridoos, is of her own unique style stemming from her Aboriginal heritage. She comes from the Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal tribe, which used to live north of Cairns. Her artistic name, Ngamu-Kari is her grandfathers name and it means No Mother. With this name she signs all her artwork, accomplished with an Authenticity Label.
Judy creates authentic Aboriginal art on good quality didgeridoos. Her burnt-in artwork blends harmoniously with the natural colour of the wood. It takes of nothing from nature, on the contrary, it enhances the natural look and feel of the final work, the all natural and authentic didgeridoo".