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? |
Adam Ditheridge from United Kingdom |
Sometimes |
It has to be crafted by genuine Aborigines to be considered a true didj. Only termite hollowed wood will do! |
Anonymous |
Always |
Searching in the forest Eucalyptus limbs hollowed by termites. Or other modern techniques |
Al Lovett from USA |
Rarely |
I explain the different styled didges have different construction techniques; from termites to heated PVC pipes. |
Alan from United Kingdom |
Never |
Out of wood from oz:) |
Alex Surdu from USA |
Always |
Explain the process of finding the perfect termite-eaten eucalyptus tree followed by an explanation of the cleaning process and painting style along with the making of beeswax pieces. |
Allen Smith from USA |
Sometimes |
Just the basics so they understand a little. |
Andrew Castle from USA |
Always |
See above. |
Anne from Canada |
Never |
I am unaware of how they are made except that you have to find an appropriate tree |
Anu Van Leeuwen from Netherlands |
Always |
Ants are eating up the inside. |
Arnaud Dejean from France |
Mostly |
"it's hollowed by termites they eat the soft part of wood they are really gifted as you can see!" |
Anonymous from France |
Always |
I tell them it is made of Eucalyptus and that there are a large variety of woods. I tell them that the branch of woods chosen for a Didj are eaten by White ants in the inside. |
Anonymous from USA |
Always |
That a genuine didj is made from the termite hollowed branch of a eucalyptus tree. (Of which there are several varieties / species of trees.) |
Brandon from USA |
Sometimes |
Well I didn't know until I read the website! Now I know they ar typically hollowed out by termites. |
Anonymous |
Only if asked |
I am still learning how various shops make their instruments. |
Brittany from USA |
Always |
A traditional didgeridoo is made from a eucalyptus branch hollowed out by termites. The green branch is then smoothed out and painted. |
Chace Bedford from USA |
Mostly |
I tell them that didges are made when termites hollow out a Eucalyptus branch and then a tribesman seeks out a branch that is suitable for the instrument cuts it down dips coats upon coats of beeswax for the mouth piece and then usually paints it to fit the owner's aesthetic. |
Chris from USA |
Rarely |
I tell them about the one I'm playing and how I made it then explain how the actual Didjes are naturally hallowed out by termites. |
Chris Smith from USA |
Mostly |
I explain how a true didj is almost always made of eucalyptus wood that has been hollowed out by termites. |
Christopher Weber from USA |
Always |
Hollowed out by termites and made into an instrument by the Aboriginal people |
Chuck from USA |
Always |
Various answers concerning each type. Natural or man made. |
Anonymous |
Always |
In nature a didj is found naturally hollowed out by insects. A young man will find himself a didj during his initiation into manhood often on a walkabout and he will trim the branches off and carve and paint it according to his spirit animal. |
Anonymous |
Mostly |
Termite eaten Didj wood |
Dean Archer from United Kingdom |
Always |
I tell them there are several ways to make a didge but termite is best not necessarily aboriginal but definitely termite eaten. |
Anonymous |
Mostly |
That a true didge is made only by aboriginals from eucalyptus hollowed by termites. |
Dima Shebalev from Israel |
Sometimes |
I tell them there are two major ways the original is to let termites eat an eucalyptus tree they eat the soft center of the wood while the external bark is kept. the other way is to saw a branch and to extract the center with drilling or another mechanism and then to glue it back. didges can be also made from bamboos - where you got to crush the middle parts or from any kind of a tube |
Anonymous from Austria |
Mostly |
Termites hollow the tree aborigines cut it to a reasonable length and chuck it into their 4 wheel drive the inner room is cleaned and the mouthpiece is sealed |
Don from USA |
Always |
"Real" didgeridoos are hollowed out by termites. |
Drew from Australia |
Only if asked |
The tree is hollowed out naturally by termites. |
Edd Horrocks from United Kingdom |
Only if asked |
Termites eat there way through the branch of a tree then skilled men select the branch and turn it in2 a Didgeridoo!!!! |
Frank from USA |
Only if asked |
Eucalyptus tree eaten out by termites is taken by the Aborigines and cleaned hollowed out fitted to tone and sometimes decorated. |
Frederick from USA |
Sometimes |
The didgeridoos is made from a branch or small trunk from one of several Eucalyptus species which has been naturally hollowed out by termites... That is the true didj... |
Gonzalo from Chile |
Sometimes |
Digo que se pueden fabricar con tubos de plástico con bambú que hay de eucalipto (en cuyo caso se debe partir el tronco al medio ahuecarlo y luego pegarlo nuevamente) pero que hay algunos de muy alta calidad que son ahuecados por termitas. |
Anonymous from Singapore |
Mostly |
A log hollowed-out by termites. |
Hans Giesholt from USA |
Mostly |
They are Eucalyptus logs hollowed out by termites and hand painted and decorated |
Anonymous from USA |
Only if asked |
I don't know yet. |
Henrique Bezerra from Portugal |
Always |
I say the original ones are made from wood witch eaten in the inside by termites forming a large wooden tube. I also say that we can make our own if we don't have much money to buy one using bamboo or any other material |
Hugo Ferreira from Portugal |
Always |
That is maid with the aboriginal experience. |
Jacopo from Italy |
Always |
Are naturally hollowed out by termites in the north of Australia and worked by Aborigines.. |
Jared from USA |
Sometimes |
Its generally hollowed out by termites and have to be hand pick and the natives go through at least 5 trees until they find the fight one or there hollowed out by fire |
Jere from Finland |
Mostly |
Genuine basic didj's are made by cutting them from an eucalyptus tree and the insides are hollowed by termites. |
Jesse Henceroth from USA |
Always |
Using termites and extreme knowledge. |
Anonymous |
Always |
Made by termites eating the wood to produce a hollow center. sometimes the exterior is painted with aboriginal symbols |
Jolyon from United Kingdom |
Sometimes |
I talk about termites and signs of bad workmanship. |
Anonymous |
Only if asked |
It is mostly made of wood from the eucalyptus tree but sometimes it is also made in bamboo or people make on of their own with PVC. |
Josh from Canada |
Only if asked |
The traditional Didj is a eucalyptus branch hollowed out by termites |
Kara from USA |
Mostly |
Rare authentic ones are usually hollowed out by termites.. But most are eucalyptus branches hollowed out and cut to a certain length for different keys and sounds |
Anonymous |
Sometimes |
It is made by hollowing out a log from a tree |
Anonymous from USA |
Sometimes |
Can make your own of PVC pipe. |
Anonymous |
Sometimes |
I talk of the termite eaten wood before mass produced ones. |
Lion from USA |
Only if asked |
For traditional instruments termites carve out the inside of a tree. The tree is taken down and shaped into a didj. |
Marco Vinicio from Italy |
Mostly |
I explain about the natural event. |
Martin Sørensen from Denmark |
Always |
I tell them about Australia and the termites and trees and about the aboriginal's who pick the hollow wood and makes a didge. |
Marty from USA |
Always |
The original Didgeridoos are made by termites hollowing out the middle of the Didgeridoos; therefore allowing the artist to smooth out the wood and in some cases creating the artwork on the outside. A mouth piece made up of beeswax is molded to the outside of the Didgeridoo to construct a better seal between the mouth and Didgeridoo. |
Massimo from Italy |
Always |
Today you can find of various sizes and types fiberglas plastic leather glass wood and are constructed in various ways. the true didj comes from eucalyptus is dug from within by colonies of termites that eat the soft part of tree and live inside. The hand of man comes only at this point. Anyone who knows the tree to hear the knocking noise. when it is empty cuts. The length depends from and by whom the size. it puts on a fire to eliminate termites wet in the sea and the didj is ready! then you can decorate as desired. |
Matthew from USA |
Sometimes |
Since I made mine with PVC pipe that's what I tell people but that is after I explain the history of real didj's. |
Anonymous |
Sometimes |
How the wood has been carved by termites and how the shape and length effects the vibrations and base sound.. |
Michael from USA |
Never |
Don't know |
Anonymous |
Mostly |
First a tree is selected & the hollowed out sometimes by insects. It has to be of a certain type of tree...then it is hand painted according to custom. The best way to learn is to go off by your-self w/the instrument& it will teach you. |
Anonymous from France |
Always |
From an eucalyptus tree hollowed by termites |
Michelle from USA |
Sometimes |
Didgeridoos are made from many different types of wood and are made out of trees that have been hollowed out by termites. |
Mike Hoover from USA |
Always |
People collect trees or branches that have been hollowed out by termites.cut the didge to the correct length poke out the termite dirt and add a beeswax mouthpiece. some are even decorated by talented artists. |
Mike Nichols from Canada |
Mostly |
It is eucalyptus hollowed out by termites and hand crafted to perfection by an aborigine artist. |
Mitch from USA |
Always |
That new didj's are made of just about anything but authentic didgeridoo's are made of hollowed out eucalyptus branches that had been hollowed out by termites as the branches lay on the ground. |
Nancy from USA |
Always |
Because I am a biologist I love to talk about wood and animal interactions anyway so the idea that a good didj depends on the action of termites is a great story. We do not have "appreciated" termites here in Iowa. |
Patrick from Australia |
Mostly |
The actual didj is made by termites the stick is cut cleaned and painted according to the language. I only buy Koori didjes. |
Paul from USA |
Always |
I tell them about how originals are made from trees and hollowed out by termites and worked by hand |
Anonymous from United Kingdom |
Always |
Type of materials an how termites bore them out |
Anonymous |
Always |
That bugs eat the insides out of it |
Peter Russell from Australia |
Always |
The traditional way is to let the termites do it. You bury the didge under the ground and the termites hollow it out. But they can be made by splitting a piece of wood in half with a band saw then using a hammer and chisel to hollow out the centre. Its stuck back together with glue then sanded down to hide the split in the wood. Resin is sometimes poured down the centre to block any holes. |
Raffael from Germany |
Mostly |
It's a trunk of the fever tree which is gutted by termites. |
Ricardo from Mexico |
Sometimes |
Eucalyptus |
Anonymous from USA |
Sometimes |
It is made from a hallow eucalyptus trees |
Robin from USA |
Sometimes |
Authentic didj are made of eucalyptus wood hollowed out by termites. |
Robson Castilho from Brazil |
Always |
Yey |
Sergey from Russia |
Sometimes |
Original didjes is eucalypt trunk hollowed by termites. Nowadays many didjes are made from other trees by woodworkers. And some are made from plastic. |
Anonymous from USA |
Mostly |
For traditional wooden didjes the player searches for a tree trunk hollowed out by termites. It is chopped down. If perfectly hollow and formed well (not too thin etc.) it will be used. The bark is stripped and it is either painted or burned. A beeswax mouthpiece is fitted for the individual player's mouth. For a homemade plastic model use the excellent directions on this site! |
Anonymous |
Never |
Nothing. |
Steav Bates-congdon from USA |
Mostly |
It is a perfect example of symbiosis. Termites hollow out the tube of a tree (often eucalyptus) and humans turn the result into a musical instrument. It takes a skilled craftsman to select the right hollow tree decide which section to use and then fashion the instrument. Lots of them are hand painted burnt or otherwise decorated but many are left natural to let the wood sing for itself in terms of its own beauty. Modern instruments may be made of hemp or other materials and musicians are constantly experimenting with new designs even keys slides and finger holes to change an instrument's pitch. |
Steve Jones from USA |
Sometimes |
I tell them about how termites eat away the inside of the wood and then it's cut to the desired length. |
Anonymous from USA |
Rarely |
Hollowed out by termites. |
Taylor from USA |
Always |
I tell them an Aboriginal didjeridoo-maker walks for miles through the bush to find hollow ones. Once they are carried to the four-wheel drive and taken home a good Didgeridoo maker allows the cut 'sticks' to season for a few months. Then the bark is removed and the interior cleaned of the dirt the termites usually deposit in there. Then the outside is sanded and any holes are filled and sealed. Now the didge needs only a beeswax mouthpiece and is ready to play |
Telmo from Portugal |
Sometimes |
The original ones are made from natural termite hollowed wood but many other variations exist from man hollowed wood to chinese bamboo to urban pvc pipe. |
Anonymous |
Only if asked |
Termites |
Anonymous |
Always |
Didjes are naturally made by termites eating out the inside of eucalyptus trees. Burning techniques can also be used on other woods that are not naturally hollowed out. |
Tony from USA |
Sometimes |
The only thing good about termites |
Vitaliy from Russia |
Mostly |
About termites. And that in our country didjes made by carpenters completely. Cutting local tree along stem then cut out core like termites and finally glue two halves together:) |
Wayne from Australia |
Always |
How a tree grows for many years and how nature selects certain trees to turn into musical instruments and if harvested properly leaves the home of many creatures undisturbed |
