Yiḏaki: The Yolŋu Didjeridu
Yiḏaki is the Yolŋu name for the instrument most people know as the didjeridu. Yolŋu of north-east Arnhem Land are among the peoples of northern Australia who have played it for generations, and Yolŋu clans hold their own stories of its origin. The Galpu clan sings the origin of the Dhuwa yiḏaki. Other groups have their own names for the instrument, such as mako in the Kunwinjku language of western Arnhem Land.
Where It Comes From
Before colonisation the instrument was played only in the Top End, from the Kimberley east across Arnhem Land to the Gulf of Carpentaria and Groote Eylandt, and later on Cape York. Rock paintings of people playing it in Arnhem Land have been dated to between 1,000 and 1,500 years old. It has only spread beyond northern Australia in the last two centuries.
The word "didjeridu" is not an Aboriginal word. It is an English invention imitating the instrument's sound, and first appeared in print in 1919. Today "didjeridu" covers instruments made anywhere, by anyone, from any material, while "yiḏaki" refers to instruments made by Yolŋu.
How Yiḏaki Are Made
Yiḏaki are made from stringybark (gaḏayka, Eucalyptus tetrodonta) trunks and branches hollowed out by termites. Makers test trees for the right hollow, then cut the trunk, strip the bark, shape and sand the wood, and finish the mouthpiece. The size and shape of the hollow sets the pitch and tone. Many yiḏaki are painted with earth pigments in clan designs.
How Yiḏaki Are Played
The player vibrates their lips to produce a continuous drone, kept going with circular breathing, and shapes the sound with the tongue, cheeks, voice and breath. Yiḏaki is played in ceremony to accompany song and dance, rather than as a solo instrument. In ceremony it is played only by men, though women play in some less formal settings.
Yiḏaki Today
Yiḏaki made at Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre in Yirrkala are sold worldwide, and the centre counts them among its main exports. The best-known maker and player was Djalu Gurruwiwi, a Galpu clan Elder entrusted by his father with the responsibility of looking after the yiḏaki for the clan. He taught and performed internationally before his death in 2022.
References and Further Reading
- Neuenfeldt, Karl (ed.). The Didjeridu: From Arnhem Land to Internet. John Libbey / Perfect Beat Publications, 1997.
- Lim, Guan, Dhangal Gurruwiwi and Djalu Gurruwiwi. "Yidaki: A Perspective from North-East Arnhem Land." In The Didgeridoo Phenomenon: From Ancient Times to the Modern Age, edited by David Lindner. Traumzeit-Verlag, 2004.
- Nicholls, Christine Judith. "The remarkable yidaki, and no, it's not a didge." NITV, 2017.
- Buku-Larrŋgay Mulka Centre. Yiḏaki, fibre, ceremonial poles, bark painting and sculptures.
- Where Does the Didjeridu Come From? Yidaki Story.
