The Didgeridoo
in the Aboriginal Legend (Australia)
The didgeridoo is one
of the oldest musical instruments with origins in Northern Australia
tens of thousands of years ago. It represents the Rainbow Serpent in
ceremonies. Legend has it that the Rainbow Serpent created riverbeds
and landscapes by sliding across the earth.
Sounding
animals into form
In the Dreamtime the Great
Spirit Byame created man and woman, and told them to create all the
animals and birds by either singing them into form or sounding them
into form by playing the didgeridoo. No wonder it sounds like a whole
jungle!
Women and didgeridoo
in the traditional Aboriginal society
In traditional Aboriginal
society, women were forbidden from playing the instrument because it
was used during initiation ceremonies. Also legend has it that if a
woman plays the didjeridoo, she is likely to give birth to twins, which
would be an extra mouth to feed, not wanted in difficult times…
