Name and Country |
Do you talk with your friends and audience about how a didj is made? |
What do you tell people about how a didj is made? |
Aaron from USA |
Only if asked |
It is hollowed out by termites and then carved and painted. |
Alejandro Dominguez from Mexico |
Sometimes |
Authentic Aboriginal didgeridoos are produced in traditionally-oriented communities in Northern Australia and are usually made from hardwoods especially the various eucalyptus species that are endemic to the region. Sometimes a native bamboo such as Bambusa arnhemica or pandanus is used. Generally the main trunk of the tree is harvested though a substantial branch may be used instead. Aboriginal didgeridoo craftsmen spend considerable time in the challenging search for a tree that has been hollowed out by termites to just the right degree. If the hollow is too big or too small it will make a poor quality instrument. |
Anonymous |
Never |
I'm not really sure how it's made. |
Andris from United Kingdom |
Mostly |
Original didj - is naturally hallowed by termites but it is possible to make your own one - from plastic pipe (beginners) or split wood you split wood in half and take out middle of the tree and then glue both parts together. It is possible to make didj out of clay glass carbon fibre plastic hemp different types of wood....e.tc |
Anonymous |
Sometimes |
Tell them how the termites make them |
Benjamin from USA |
Rarely |
Termite hollowed painstaking woodwork gloss. |
Betsy Sauther from USA |
Sometimes |
That the wood is selected from termite eaten specimen then further hollowed out from the center with fire sticks or rods. Of course mine are all plastic so a much less natural process!!! |
Blake Roberts from USA |
Never |
Bamboo |
Brian from USA |
Mostly |
It is eaten through by insects. Some are now machine made but the best ones are natural. |
Anonymous |
Always |
Can be made from different types of Eucalyptus wood branches that are termite hollowed and then optional varnished painted sealed. |
Anonymous |
Rarely |
I don't know the answer yet. That's why I am at your website. |
Cezar Cayom from Brazil |
Always |
I tell them it is made from bamboo and eucalyptus. |
Anonymous |
Mostly |
Hollowed out by termites cooperation by nature |
Cyrille Thoumazet from France |
Sometimes |
They found that very surprising |
Daniel from USA |
Only if asked |
That it's hollowed out by termites. Then Tuned to a key on the music scale. |
Anonymous from USA |
Sometimes |
See other box above-i am sure there is a special process nut am not aware of all the details |
Ed from USA |
Only if asked |
Tell them about the termites |
Emmanuelle from France |
Sometimes |
A didj is made with termite job... With Eucalyptus and technical human job.. |
Erwin Persoon from Netherlands |
Always |
Its made by termites they eat the whole lug out. I think bur buk boon knows more about it. |
Garrett from USA |
Sometimes |
I tell them about the termite hollowing process and about the burning of the wood for designs. |
Anonymous from USA |
Always |
Eucalyptus trees hallowed out by termites... beezewax... |
Grant from Australia |
Mostly |
Naturally termite hollowed then tree is cut down and shaped (ie declared). |
Heath from USA |
Always |
That its done by nature. An instrument created by termites and perfected by aboriginals. |
Jake from Australia |
Only if asked |
Trees are found that are already hollowed out by termites then cut to length |
James from USA |
Mostly |
Real Didgeridoos are made by termites |
Anonymous from Czech Republic |
Rarely |
It is made by mother nature. By termites. |
Anonymous |
Mostly |
Termites |
Jessica Buchanan from USA |
Always |
I tell them that it is naturally hollowed by termites which help give it it's sound. Then it is hand picked and painted. |
Anonymous |
Mostly |
Just gorgeousness |
Joel Purvis from USA |
Always |
I teach self defence in a local park every Monday and I take an old cactus Didj with me it's the only one I have and I'm often asked about it I tell them the original didj is hollowed out by termites and is still harvested today to make wonderful didjes. |
John Spierings from Australia |
Always |
Grown naturally in the bush (far north australia). Hollowed out by termites. Then harvested strip the bark and clean the inside. A beeswax mouthpiece is added and ready to play. |
Jon-eric from USA |
Rarely |
Mine is PVC so I tell them how I made it |
Joshua from Canada |
Always |
I tell them that they are hallowed out by termites. |
Kate from USA |
Sometimes |
Something like: You can make them cheep out of PVC piping or be adventurous and find a long skinny log that has been hollowed out but termites and cut it down. |
Keith from Australia |
Mostly |
Good Didjes are rare - they are as natural as possible - they can take quite a bit of time to make properly and require experience. |
Kieff from USA |
Rarely |
That some are synthetic and others are real wood. the woods are usually made from Australian termite hollowed wood |
Anonymous from Hungary |
Only if asked |
Termites carve out a branch which is then used as a didjeridu - or people just use a piece of bamboo. |
Anonymous |
Only if asked |
About the wood and the special significance of the artwork |
Linda West from USA |
Only if asked |
I tell them they are hollowed out naturally by termites. I don't know much more than that yet but I know there is a lot more to finishing and tuning them. |
Lr from USA |
Always |
Termites. Find a young tree hollowed out by termites blow them out trim the bark shape a mouthpiece you got a didge. |
Marcin from Poland |
Mostly |
That it can be just found if you're lucky enough. If not it requires a lot of skill and patience to gain the same result as nature does. |
Martin from South Africa |
Always |
I tell people that the only true people who really know how to make a Didj are the Aborigines. They can almost see which eucalyptus tree branch has been eaten by the termites some even swear they can smell the ants.They then carefully cut off the branch and allow it to cure for up to 6 months. The termites eat out the branch and create a hollow cavity within the living branch. Once the branch has been left to cure the artist then begins to reveal the soul of the Didj and he cleans and fine tunes the instrument sometimes decorating it on the outside.Once the Didj is finished it is tuned to find it's true note of character which could be a b c d or f even. Aboriginal artists I tell them know the value of conserving their resources and do not indiscriminately chop and hack down trees just to get at hollow branches. |
Massimo Beccarelli from Mexico |
Mostly |
El original lo hacen las termitas comiendo el interir de una vara de eucalipto. the original is made by the termites they eat inside of one eucalyptus's branch. |
Massimo from Italy |
Always |
I describe the uniqueness of the building process and the HUGE difference between original didgeridoos and the carved ones. |
Michael from USA |
Never |
I do not know how one is made just that the originals are made from eucalypts. |
Anonymous |
Sometimes |
They're made from Eucalyptus trees. They're the branches that have been hollowed by termites. |
Anonymous from Portugal |
Sometimes |
That can be made first tree types of didj bamboo wood and the more amazing Eucalyptus that is the most ancient because it's made only by the nature hit termites that eat the wood inside and have all a process from the nature and is the true didgeridoo |
Nathan from Australia |
Mostly |
Hollowed by termites |
Oliver Aoun from France |
Only if asked |
I tell them what it actually is about I also tell them it used to be done naturally by mama pacha our mother earth before human ever tried to do them |
Anonymous |
Always |
Its made by the power of nature!!(hollow by the termites) Its a present of the Mother earth for us!! |
Peter from USA |
Never |
I will talk to them about it from now on. Termites. eh? Now that is interesting! |
Rhea from USA |
Always |
I tell them the authentic way and would love to show them an authentic instrument. |
Richard from USA |
Sometimes |
A eucalyptus branch is hollowed out by ants. |
Robert from USA |
Always |
By termites eating the wood of a tree in Australia and then cut and tuned to a certain key. |
Robert from Netherlands |
Mostly |
The traditional method mostly clapsticks to find the hollowed out parts the termites and so on. But also often how they can make a learners didge for themselves as describes on your website giving the the address as well of course!;) |
Rochelle from USA |
Rarely |
Wooden. |
Scott from USA |
Never |
I don't have one yet. |
Scott from USA |
Always |
Typically a eucalyptus/ gum tree hollowed by termites then harvested and cleaned/shaped and played! |
Anonymous |
Never |
Have not had occasion to discuss. |
Stefani Fox from USA |
Never |
I will learn |
Stephen Jones from USA |
Always |
It's basically a branch off of a eucalyptus tree that has been hollowed out by termites. The sound and look of the didj are determined by the branch. |
Sylvain Loustaunau from Japan |
Always |
When my talk is not clear enough I send them to didjshop.com!!! |
Tom from USA |
Mostly |
I tell them the didge is made from Eucalyptus that is hollowed out by termite. |
Tom from United Kingdom |
Rarely |
The little I know about termites hollowing eucalyptus or gluing the two halves of hard wood. occasionally the favourite old pipe design |
Anonymous |
Sometimes |
That each didj is made by a unique process between a eucalypt stem hollowed naturally by thousands of hungry termites and afterwards selected and finished by men |
Tony from United Kingdom |
Always |
A true didge is naturally hollowed out by termites. The didge maker will knock on the trees and listen for one with a nice hollow sound. Once the tree is cut the bark is removed any small holes filled and the ends smoothed. Often a mouthpiece of beeswax is added but this is not essential. Didges can be tuned to exact pitch but not all are. |
Anonymous from USA |
Always |
How we are making ours and how they are made/ |
Warren from USA |
Never |
Never |
Zachary Heidemann &/or Ryan &/or Arrildt from USA |
Mostly |
A native finds a fallen hollowed out branch then they set about smoothing and planning it carving and decorating protecting it with treatments and personalizing and painting it giving it character and transferring energy into it... Some are hollowed by nature and termites others are hollowed by hand by natives w/ sweat of brow others start hollow and others still are hollowed by machines... however we all know the best are made by nature/natives... |
Zack from USA |
Always |
A yidaki is traditionally made out of stringy bark and woolly butt eucalyptus in northern Australia and red gum eucalyptus in southeastern australia. They are limbs and trunks of trees that have been bored out by a species of termites that eat out the heartwood of the tree. First a master yidaki maker finds an appropriate tree sees if it's hollow through a long section then fells the tree. He cuts it down to length rams the termite colony out with a stick (or rebar these days). Then he shaves the outside down to size sands it tunes it and then most coat it with modern day epoxies varnishes and other sealers. It was traditionally painted with red white and yellow ochre (very rarely purple) and soaked in water each time it was played to fill up the cracks caused by drying. |
Anonymous from USA |
Never |
I have no idea. |
