The Didgeridoo
By Alexandra Kidman

The didgeridoo is a heavy and long instrument. The wood has a rough texture in certain areas, and the color is no longer bright due to heavy usage. The first action that I did after lifting the instrument was to try to blow into it. However, only a weak hum was produced. It seemed to be very strange in my hands, and I did not know how to produce a good sound. It was my friend who taught me to play it. He was the one to hold it and blow a very low note that made the room full of sound. He taught me how to breathe in the right way and how to move my lips correctly. I was trying to imitate him, but it was really difficult. The sound would always break off, and I would feel awkward. The didgeridoo has been scratched and dented because it has been played a lot over the years. In some areas, the paint is completely gone.

 

It is as if it keeps remembering all the times it has been accompanied. Even when it is just resting, it gives off a very vibrant aura and seems to be waiting for that one person who is going to make it sound right. I really spent a lot of time doing just one thing, which was to hold and listen. There were times I produced weak hums, and at other times I got a little sound that felt like the deep note I was after. Each time I played it, I experienced a different feeling. The act of holding it made me reflect on the whole history of the people who had played it before and the amount of practice one had to go through to become a good player. Although my playing skills are still not good, I do enjoy the fact that I have it in my possession. It is an instrument that is quite heavy as well as old and somewhat difficult to handle, yet it is a fun challenge. The very moment I blow it, I can somehow sense it a little bit moving, and it is indeed very exhilarating when even a tiny sound comes out of it.