Mahogany from Bali for Djembe?

[Nodrog]

Hi there,

Thanks Michi for understanding my approach and also recommending lessons. If I can find a teacher within my area I would like to try this.

I have an interesting question as I see you are based in Brisbane, Australia.

How closely does the history of African music relate to the history of Australian aboriginal music, if at all ? Does the native history of Australian music have a drum anything close to a djembe? Does traditional Australian music have any stringed instruments. There is an instrument based on a bow that is played I believe by resting it on the teeth and then opening and closing the mouth to change the pitch. I have seen one of these being played but was not sure of it's history.

I will try to post some clips of our sessions on here once I have my computer fixed. It was struck by lightening last week!

Thanks, I have lots to learn.

Gordon.

[michi]

I have an interesting question as I see you are based in Brisbane, Australia.

How closely does the history of African music relate to the history of Australian aboriginal music, if at all ?

Not at all. The cultural and historical background is completely different. Aborigines have been in Australia for around 30,000 years and, as far as I know, there has been no contact with Africa until modern times.

Does the native history of Australian music have a drum anything close to a djembe?

To the best of my knowledge, no. In fact, as far as I know, Aborigines don't have any membranophones at all, other than near the tip of Cape York. The instruments that I am aware of are the digeridoo (of course), clap sticks (somewhat similar to African claves, but with pointy ends), and the bullroarer (a piece of shaped wood that you whirl around on a cord in a 2m circle; the wood rotates in the air and makes a buzzing/humming sound). Didgeridoo players also often use a clap stick to hit the side of the didgeridoo while playing.

The drum used in Cape York is apparently hourglass shaped, with a lizard skin. But I have never seen one played in my 25 years in Australia, so it's definitely uncommon.

Some tribes also use a log drum, bone or reed whistles, rasps, or seed rattles, depending on the region. (There are hundreds of tribes spread over an entire continent, and most of them have been isolated from each other for most of Aboriginal history, so the music and instruments differ considerably from region to region.) All tribes also use singing and clapping (naturally) for their music. But, as far as musical instruments are concerned, Aboriginal culture seems to be very limited. No chordophones at all, two or three aerophones, one membranophone limited to a small area, and very few idiophones.

Does traditional Australian music have any stringed instruments.

Not as far as I know. I believe that the Aborigines never invented the bow. And the bow seems to be the fundamental precursor to all stringed instruments, so no stringed instruments in Aboriginal culture.

There is an instrument based on a bow that is played I believe by resting it on the teeth and then opening and closing the mouth to change the pitch. I have seen one of these being played but was not sure of it's history.

That would be a mouth bow. Apparently it's been around for a long time. According to a note on one of the YouTube videos, it dates back at least 20,000 years in Namibia.

Cheers,

Michi.

[Nodrog]

Hi there,

Thanks Michi for the quick explanation on Australian Aboriginal music. It's weird that the guys over there never really developed drums in a big way. In our modern world I would guess that most folks just tend to think of the drum in one form or other as the oldest and most primitive instrument.

I new that the cultures of Africa and Australia had been seperated for thousands of years but I just wrongly assumed that all native tribes would have used drums as a main part of their lives.

All very interesting.

Gordon.

[Nodrog]

Hello again.

This is just a quick correction to a post I made earlier where I stated that the playing area on my djembe was 14" diam. I measured it this weekend and it is actually 12.5" across the playing area. It is 14" at it's widest point where the rings are.

This is not that important because it still sounds good to me and plays well. I just didn't want to mislead in any way.

Gordon.

[bops]

The drum used in Cape York is apparently hourglass shaped, with a lizard skin. But I have never seen one played in my 25 years in Australia, so it's definitely uncommon.

I saw one the other day... in a case at a museum. Also saw an enormous log drum from the same region.

[bubudi]

those hourglass drums are called warup and they originated in papua new guinea. the torres strait islanders (natives of the australian islands in the torres strait which is off the tip of cape york in far north queensland) also use them. torres straight islanders are culturally distinct from the australian aborigines and much closer to papuans culturally. however, the cape york aborigines have been influenced by torres strait music and also use those drums. they are shaped a bit like bata drums only more slender and lightweight, with a handle.

[e2c]

are there any good sites/books that you'd recommend on these? i'm interested in seeing some pics, at very least.

thanks in advance!

[bubudi]

there is a website i've come across... let me get back to you on that. my knowledge about this subject is mostly from aboriginal and torres strait islanders i've spoken to.

[e2c]

understood!