88-408: Didj may refer to: Didgeridoo , an Australian wind instrument Leapfrog Didj , a handheld game console made by LeapFrog Enterprises Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Didj . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to
176-495: A New Age style of music with liner notes promoting the instrument's spirituality which misleads consumers about the didgeridoo's secular role in traditional Aboriginal culture. The taboo is particularly strong among many Aboriginal groups in the South East of Australia, where it is forbidden and considered "cultural theft" for non-Aboriginal women, and especially performers of New Age music regardless of sex, to play or even touch
264-542: A 1914 edition of The Northern Territory Times and Gazette , and a 1919 issue of Smith's Weekly , in which it was referred to as a "didjerry" and was said to produce the sound "didjerry, didjerry, didjerry and so on ad infinitum". A rival explanation, that didgeridoo is a corruption of the Irish phrase dúdaire dubh or Scottish Gaelic dùdaire dúth , is controversial. Irish dúdaire or dúidire , and Scottish Gaelic dùdaire , are nouns that, depending on
352-523: A bell end of anywhere between 5 and 20 centimetres (2 and 8 in) and have a length corresponding to the desired key. The end of the pipe can be shaped and smoothed to create a comfortable mouthpiece or an added mouthpiece can be made of any shaped and smoothed material such as rubber, a rubber stopper with a hole or beeswax. Modern didgeridoo designs are distinct from the traditional Australian Aboriginal didgeridoo, and are innovations recognised by musicologists . Didgeridoo design innovation started in
440-549: A campaign to protest a proposal to industrialise the James Price Point area of Broome. Woodside Energy , with the additional involvement of BHP and the Government of Australia , has sought to build a gas industrial complex, and those in opposition believe that such a development threatens the region. The campaign has received support from public figures such as John Butler , Clare Bowditch, Missy Higgins and former leader of
528-684: A daily basis. In addition to Australian English , post-contact languages spoken in the Kimberley include Aboriginal English , Kriol , Pidgin English and the Malay-based Broome Pearling Lugger Pidgin (not spoken on a daily basis any more). At the federal level, the Kimberley is represented by the member for Durack . At state level, the Kimberley electorate takes in all of the region and its towns. The Kimberley region consists of
616-521: A didgeridoo. A 2006 study reported in the British Medical Journal found that learning and practising the didgeridoo helped reduce snoring and obstructive sleep apnea by strengthening muscles in the upper airway, thus reducing their tendency to collapse during sleep. In the study, intervention subjects were trained in and practised didgeridoo playing, including circular breathing and other techniques. Control subjects were asked not to play
704-488: A diverse regional economy. Mining, construction, tourism, retail, agriculture, and pearling are major contributors to the region's economic output. The town of Broome has a flourishing pearling industry, which operates around the Kimberley coast. Some of the major farmers are Paspaley Pearls, Clipper Pearls, Broome Pearls and the Willie Creek Pearl Farm. One third of the world's annual production of diamonds
792-648: A higher pitch than unflared instruments of the same length. There are no reliable sources of the exact age of the didgeridoo. Archaeological studies suggest that people of the Kakadu region in Northern Australia have been using the didgeridoo for less than 1,000 years, based on the dating of rock art paintings. A clear rock painting in Ginga Wardelirrhmeng, on the northern edge of the Arnhem Land plateau, from
880-440: A much deeper significance. There is a complex performative aspect that goes hand-in-hand with the art that remains today. The re-touching/re-marking actions are considered a performance and act as a retelling of the story behind the art. The performance is a way for people to reconnect with the cultural significance behind the work itself and maintain the connection of person to place. This process highlights indigenous beliefs about
968-654: A note for as long as desired. Recordings exist of modern didgeridoo players playing continuously for more than 40 minutes; Mark Atkins on Didgeridoo Concerto (1994) plays for over 50 minutes continuously. Although circular breathing does eliminate the need to stop playing to take a breath, discomfort might still develop during a period of extended play due to chapped lips or other oral discomfort. The didgeridoo functions "...as an aural kaleidoscope of timbres" and "the extremely difficult virtuoso techniques developed by expert performers find no parallel elsewhere." The didgeridoo virtuoso and composer William Barton has expanded
SECTION 10
#17331043040281056-739: A party of seven from the west coast at Beagle Bay to Katherine, Northern Territory . Forrest explored and named the Kimberley district, the Margaret and Ord rivers and the King Leopold Ranges (now the Wunaamin-Miliwundi Ranges ), and located well watered pastoral lands along the Fitzroy and Ord rivers. He subsequently set himself up as a land agent specialising in the Kimberley during a period to 1883 when over 21,000,000 hectares (51,000,000 acres) of land were taken up as pastoral leaseholds in
1144-663: A small reconnaissance party in The Kimberley on 19 January 1944; they were investigating reports that the Allies were building large bases in the region. Four Japanese officers were on board a small fishing boat. They investigated the York Sound region for a day and a night before returning to Kupang in Timor on 20 January. After returning to Japan in February, the junior officer, who had commanded
1232-442: A vibrating sound of the lips to produce the basic drone. More advanced playing involves the technique known as circular breathing . The circular breathing technique requires breathing in through the nose whilst simultaneously using the muscles of the cheeks to compress the cheeks and release the stored air out of the mouth. By using this technique, a skilled player can replenish the air in their lungs, and with practice they can sustain
1320-487: Is a wind instrument , played with vibrating lips to produce a continuous drone while using a special breathing technique called circular breathing . The didgeridoo was developed by Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia at least 1,000 years ago, and is now in use around the world, though still most strongly associated with Indigenous Australian music . In the Yolŋu languages of the indigenous people of northeast Arnhem Land
1408-777: Is bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean , on the north by the Timor Sea , on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami deserts in the region of the Pilbara , and on the east by the Northern Territory . The region was named in 1879 by government surveyor Alexander Forrest after Secretary of State for the Colonies John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley . The Kimberley was one of the earliest settled parts of Australia, with
1496-600: Is chiefly covered in open savanna woodland dominated by low bloodwood and boab trees ( Adansonia gregorii ) with Darwin stringybark and Darwin woollybutt eucalyptus in the wetter areas. The red sandy soil of the Dampier Peninsula in the south is known for its characteristic pindan wooded grassland, while in the more fertile areas like the Ord Valley , the trees are found in grasslands of Chrysopogon , Aristida , Dichanthium and Xerochloa (rice grass) in
1584-509: Is fairly evenly distributed, with only three towns having populations in excess of 2,000: Broome (12,766), Derby (3,261), and Kununurra (4,573). Approximately 40% of the region's population is of Aboriginal descent. The Kimberley has been noted as a region of great linguistic diversity, rivalled in Australia only by the Top End . Depending on the geographical boundaries of The Kimberley, and
1672-520: Is home to a distinctive mixture of wildlife, which has been thoroughly mapped and described by the Western Australian Department of Conservation and Land Management . There are habitats similar to the Kimberley across the border in the Northern Territory , including the valleys of the Victoria and Daly Rivers but these have been less carefully studied. Much of the Kimberley
1760-590: Is known as a mako , a name popularised by virtuoso player David Blanasi , a Bininj man, whose language was Kunwinjku , and who brought the didgeridoo to world prominence. However the mako is slightly different from the Yiḏaki: usually shorter, and sounding somewhat different – a slightly fuller and richer sound, but without the "overtone" note. There are at least 45 names for the didgeridoo, several of which suggest its original construction of bamboo , such as bambu , bombo , kambu , and pampu , which are still used in
1848-602: Is mined at the Argyle and the Ellendale diamond mines. Oil is extracted from the Blina oil field and natural gas is expected to be taken from offshore sources soon . Zinc and lead were mined at the Pillara and Cadjebut mines near Fitzroy Crossing, with nickel still being mined at Sallay Mallay near Halls Creek. Derby is the nearest export base for shipping these metals. Traditionally,
SECTION 20
#17331043040281936-478: Is named after the Kimberley region. The gorges of central Kimberley are known for their fossils and for their large colonies of bats, including Windjana , Tunnel Creek , and Geikie Gorges . Lake Argyle and other wetlands of the Ord and the Kimberley are important habitats while there are important populations of shorebirds in the Ord estuary, Eighty-mile Beach and Roebuck Bay , which has been described as "one of
2024-589: Is no prohibition in the Dreaming Law . For example, in 1966, ethnomusicologist Alice Marshall Moyle made a recording in Borroloola of Jemima Wimalu, a Mara woman from the Roper River, proficiently playing the didgeridoo. In 1995, musicologist Steve Knopoff observed Yirrkala women performing djatpangarri songs that are traditionally performed by men and in 1996, ethnomusicologist Elizabeth MacKinley reported women of
2112-459: Is so much steep land as to make much of the region difficult to traverse, especially during the wet season, when even sealed roads are often flooded. The coast is typically steep cliffs in the north but flatter in the south, all subject to high tides. The Kimberley has a tropical monsoon climate . The region receives about 90% of its rainfall during the short wet season, from November to April, when cyclones are common (especially around Broome) and
2200-507: Is somewhat in the manner of a trombone . The didgeridoo has been used by a number of modern bands in various types of music. It was featured on the British children's TV series Blue Peter . Industrial music bands like Test Dept use the didgeridoo. Early songs by the acid jazz band Jamiroquai featured didgeridoo player Wallis Buchanan, including the band's first single " When You Gonna Learn ", which features prominent didgeridoo in
2288-737: Is still visible today in the form of the Napier Range and the Ningbing Range . Some of the features are Tunnel Creek , Windjana Gorge and Geikie Gorge . This area is also known as the Kimberley Block physiographic province, of which it is part of the larger West Australian Shield division. This province contains the Wunaamin-Miliwundi Range , Durack Range , Leveque Rise , Browse Depression , and Londonderry Rise physiographic sections. In Bureau of Meteorology weather reports
2376-417: The lingua franca by some Aboriginal people. The following are some of the more common regional names. A didgeridoo is usually cylindrical or conical , and can measure anywhere from 1 to 3 m (3 to 10 ft) long. Most are around 1.2 m (4 ft) long. Generally, the longer the instrument, the lower its pitch or key. However, flared instruments play a higher pitch than unflared instruments of
2464-657: The Australian Greens , Bob Brown . On 5 October 2012, a concert was held at Federation Square in Melbourne , Australia, to raise awareness of the campaign; the protest event attracted approximately 6,000 people. On 24 February 2013, an estimated 20,000 people gathered for a charity concert in Fremantle , Western Australia to raise awareness and funds to help protect the Kimberley, with performances from Ball Park Music , Missy Higgins, and John Butler. The Kimberley region has
2552-853: The Marrngu languages (such as Karajarri and Nyangumarta , the Ngumpin languages (such as Walmajarri and Jaru ), the Yapa languages (such as Warlpiri ) and the Western Desert languages (including Wangkajunga and Kukatja ). Non-Pama-Nyungan languages spoken around the Kimberleys (but speakers of which today live within the Kimberley) include the Daly language Murrinh-Patha and Western Mirndi language Jaminjung . Presently, many indigenous languages are no longer spoken on
2640-828: The Prince Regent National Park and the Drysdale River National Park along with Gregory National Park and Keep River National Park across in the Northern Territory, which preserves similar habitats. (Keep River's nearest town is Kununurra in the Kimberley.) The Kimberley is a popular tourist destination, with areas such as the Bungle Bungle Range , the Gibb River Road , Lake Argyle , El Questro Station , Mornington Sanctuary , Horizontal Falls and Cape Leveque . The Gibb River Road and
2728-453: The Wandjinas and the meaning behind them. They are seen throughout the region at many different sites and are the most repainted rock art in Kimberley. This is due to the fact that indigenous groups believe in the power that Wandjina holds. Creation stories, migrational patterns, and clothing style of the figures emphasise their importance and integration into the sociocultural groups inhabiting
Didj - Misplaced Pages Continue
2816-419: The bowerbird . The sandstone gorges of north Kimberley are an important refuge for a particularly rich collection of endemic species including some that have disappeared from the flatter areas, including the purple-crowned fairywren, the endangered Gouldian finch and a large number of amphibians : flat-headed frog , cave-dwelling frog , magnificent tree frog , Derby toadlet , small toadlet , fat toadlet ,
2904-413: The harmonic spacing of the resonances in a cylindrical plastic pipe, whose resonant frequencies fall in the ratio 1:3:5 etc. The second resonance of a didgeridoo (the note sounded by overblowing) is usually around an 11th higher than the fundamental frequency (a frequency ratio of 8:3). The vibration produced by the player's lips has harmonics in the ratio 1:2:3 etc. However, the non-harmonic spacing of
2992-461: The local government areas of Broome , Derby-West Kimberley , Halls Creek and Wyndham-East Kimberley . The Kimberley region is extremely rich in art, mainly that of Indigenous rock art . Considering the area's size, it is no surprise that there are tens of thousands of rock art examples coming from a variety of different cultural groups within the region. The diversity of peoples has allowed for many different art styles to develop with some of
3080-485: The "North Kimberley Coast" is the WA border to Kuri Bay section of the coast, while the "West Kimberley Coast" is from Kuri Bay to Wallal Downs. Significant sections of the coastline between Broome and Wyndham have no means of road access, and boat or helicopter are the only means. Due to the isolation, a number of tourist operations on the coastline have been called "wilderness" locations. The rugged and varied sandstone landscape
3168-562: The Kimberley and exported live. Wyndham features the last remaining meatworks in the Kimberley - there were formerly works at Broome and Derby but financial constraints have caused these to be closed. Barramundi are bred in Lake Argyle , and Broome features a fully equipped Aquaculture Park near the port; tenants include Paspaley Pearls and Broome TAFE . The Kimberley also has a thriving fishing industry. Some of Australia's most prominent indigenous artists and art centres are in or adjacent to
3256-460: The Kimberley region. Artists such as Paddy Bedford and Freddie Timms have an international profile, and there are a number of Aboriginal-owned and controlled art centres and companies that assist artists, arrange exhibitions and sell works. The art centres in the region are also organized through the Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists. Issues have been raised regarding
3344-568: The Western Australian government announced the creation of the 7,062 square kilometre Camden Sound Marine Park with a further three to come. Visitors to the area should be aware that the area can be subject to controlled burns at any time of year. In September 2011, a fire burned five people, two severely, who had been competing in the Kimberley Ultramarathon, an endurance cross country footrace . The Wilderness Society has led
3432-569: The Yanyuwa group giving public performances. Although there is no prohibition in the area of the didgeridoo's origin, such restrictions have been applied by other Indigenous communities. The didgeridoo was introduced to the Kimberleys in the early 20th century but it was only much later, such as in Rose's 2008 criticism of The Daring Book for Girls , that Aboriginal men showed adverse reactions to women playing
3520-441: The area. The Kimberley is an area of 423,517 square kilometres (163,521 sq mi), which is about three times the size of England , twice the size of Victoria , or just slightly smaller than California . The Kimberley consists of the ancient, steep-sided mountain ranges of northwestern Australia cut through with sandstone and limestone gorges and steep ridges, from which the extreme monsoonal climate has removed much of
3608-635: The beat for the songs during ceremonies. The rhythm of the didgeridoo and the beat of the clapsticks are precise, and these patterns have been handed down for many generations. In the Wangga genre, the song-man starts with vocals and then introduces bilma to the accompaniment of didgeridoo. Traditionally, only men play the didgeridoo and sing during ceremonial occasions; playing by women is sometimes discouraged by Aboriginal communities and elders. In 2008, publisher HarperCollins apologised for its book The Daring Book for Girls , which openly encouraged girls to play
Didj - Misplaced Pages Continue
3696-605: The best locations for preservation. The oldest category known as the Irregular Infill Animal or the Naturalistic period is responsible for the region's life-size animal depictions. A rock shelter in Kimberley's northeastern territory is home to a perfect example of this, a two-meter-long kangaroo painting on the ceiling. This case was extremely rare as archaeologist found remains of mud wasp nests that could be used for dating. These nests were located both below and on top of
3784-537: The central Kimberly plateau can drop below 0 °C (32 °F) during the dry season. The Aboriginal people of the Kimberley recognise six traditional seasons based on meteorological events, as well as on observations of flora and fauna. During the Devonian period, a barrier reef system formed before a subsequent drop in sea levels over the Kimberley. This reef system was similar to the Great Barrier Reef and
3872-412: The changes and persistence within the cultural and natural environment. The changing and expanding complexity of styles and techniques has caught the attention of many, paving the way for mass amounts of archaeological and anthropological research. Much of the artwork in the area has been gone over with similar or alternative methods to preserve the art, add to it, or enhance it. Rock shelters are some of
3960-477: The context, may mean "trumpeter", " hummer ", " crooner " or " puffer ", while Irish dubh means "black", and Scottish Gaelic dúth means " native ". There are numerous names for the instrument among the Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia , none of which closely resemble the word "didgeridoo" (see below). Some didgeridoo enthusiasts, scholars and Aboriginal people advocate using local language names for
4048-417: The dead heartwood of the tree, as the living sapwood contains a chemical that repels the insects. Various techniques are employed to find trees with a suitable hollow, including knowledge of landscape and termite activity patterns, and a kind of tap or knock test, in which the bark of the tree is peeled back, and a fingernail or the blunt end of a tool, such as an axe, is knocked against the wood to determine if
4136-399: The definition of what constitutes a " language " (as opposed to a " dialect "), about 50-60 Aboriginal languages were once spoken in this region. The vast majority of these do not belong to the family of Pama-Nyungan languages . Four endemic, primary language families are recognised within the core Kimberley region: Pama-Nyungan languages spoken in and around the Kimberley region include
4224-552: The didgeridoo in some songs, including "Love the Way You Hate Me" from their album Chaos Theory: Part 1 (2012). Kate Bush made extensive use of the didgeridoo, played by Australian musician Rolf Harris , on her album The Dreaming (1982), which was written and recorded after a holiday in Australia. Traditionally, the didgeridoo was played as an accompaniment to ceremonial dancing and singing and for solo or recreational purposes. For Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia,
4312-442: The didgeridoo's sound can be made by adding vocalisations to the drone. Most of the vocalisations are related to sounds emitted by Australian animals, such as the dingo or the kookaburra . To produce these sounds, the players use their vocal folds to produce the sounds of the animals whilst continuing to blow air through the instrument. The results range from very high-pitched sounds to much lower sounds involving interference between
4400-512: The eastern states in search of good pasture lands. After gold was discovered around Halls Creek , many other erstwhile European miners arrived rapidly. In the 1890s, the area was the site of an armed insurrection of indigenous people led by Jandamarra , a Bunuba warrior. During World War II , when Australia was among the nations at war with the Axis powers, the Japanese invaded the nation with only
4488-634: The economy depended on pastoral leases , with most of the region covered by the leases. More recently agriculture has been focused on the Ord River Irrigation Area near Kununurra . Irrigation was also trialled in the West Kimberley by way of the now defunct Camballin Irrigation Scheme . There are also fruit growers in Broome and in other areas in the West Kimberley. Beef cattle are grown in
SECTION 50
#17331043040284576-405: The first humans landing about 65,000 years ago. They created a complex culture that developed over thousands of years. Yam ( Dioscorea hastifolia ) agriculture was developed, and rock art suggests that this was where some of the earliest boomerangs were invented. The worship of Wandjina deities was most common in this region, and a complex theology dealing with the transmigration of souls
4664-565: The freshwater period (that had begun 1500 years ago) shows a didgeridoo player and two song-men participating in an Ubarr ceremony. It is thus thought that it was developed by Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia, possibly in Arnhem Land . T. B. Wilson's Narrative of a Voyage Round the World (1835) includes a drawing of an Aboriginal man from Raffles Bay on the Cobourg Peninsula (about 350 kilometres (220 mi) east of Darwin ) playing
4752-572: The hollow produces the right resonance. Once a suitably hollow tree is found, it is cut down and cleaned out, the bark is taken off, the ends trimmed, and the exterior is shaped; this results in a finished instrument. A rim of beeswax may be applied to the mouthpiece end. Non-traditional didgeridoos can be made from native or non-native hard woods (typically split, hollowed and rejoined), glass, fibreglass , metal, agave , clay, resin , PVC piping and carbon fibre. These typically have an upper inside diameter of around 3 centimetres (1.2 in) down to
4840-399: The instrument after Aboriginal academic Mark Rose described such encouragement as "extreme cultural insensitivity" and "an extreme faux pas ... part of a general ignorance that mainstream Australia has about Aboriginal culture." However, Linda Barwick , an ethnomusicologist , said that though traditionally women have not played the didgeridoo in ceremony, in informal situations there
4928-615: The instrument and prohibitions are especially evident in the South East of Australia. The belief that women are prohibited from playing is widespread among non-Aboriginal people and is also common among Aboriginal communities in Southern Australia; some ethnomusicologists believe that the dissemination of the taboo belief and other misconceptions is a result of commercial agendas and marketing. The majority of commercial didgeridoo recordings available are distributed by multinational recording companies and feature non-Aboriginal people playing
5016-534: The instrument was "only known in the eastern Kimberley [region in Western Australia] and the northern third of the Northern Territory ". The name didgeridoo is not of Aboriginal Australian linguistic origin and is considered to be an onomatopoetic word. The earliest occurrences of the word in print include a 1908 edition of the Hamilton Spectator referring to a " 'did-gery-do' (hollow bamboo)",
5104-407: The instrument's resonances means that the harmonics of the fundamental note are not systematically assisted by instrument's resonances, as is usually the case for Western wind instruments (e.g., in the low range of the clarinet , the 1st, 3rd, and 5th harmonics of the reed are assisted by resonances of the bore). Sufficiently strong resonances of the vocal tract can strongly influence the timbre of
5192-505: The instrument. Yiḏaki (transcribed yidaki in English, sometimes spelt yirdaki ) is one of the most commonly used names although, strictly speaking, it refers to a specific type of the instrument made and used by the Yolngu peoples of north-east Arnhem Land . Some Yolngu people began using the word mandapul after 2011, out of respect for the passing of a Manggalili man who had a name sounding similar to yidaki. In west Arnhem Land, it
5280-462: The instrument. At some frequencies, whose values depend on the position of the player's tongue, resonances of the vocal tract inhibit the oscillatory flow of air into the instrument. Bands of frequencies that are not thus inhibited produce formants in the output sound. These formants, and especially their variation during the inhalation and exhalation phases of circular breathing, give the instrument its readily recognisable sound. Other variations in
5368-467: The instrument. Others observed such an instrument in the same area, made of bamboo and about 3 feet (0.9 m) long. In 1893, English palaeontologist Robert Etheridge, Junior observed the use of "three very curious trumpets" made of bamboo in northern Australia. There were then two native species of bamboo growing along the Adelaide River, Northern Territory ". According to A. P. Elkin , in 1938,
SECTION 60
#17331043040285456-411: The instrument. Subjects were surveyed before and after the study period to assess the effects of intervention. A small 2010 study noted marked improvements in the asthma management of 10 Aboriginal adults and children following a six-month programme of once-weekly didgeridoo lessons. Kimberley (Western Australia) The Kimberley is the northernmost of the nine regions of Western Australia . It
5544-431: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Didj&oldid=1249106360 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Didgeridoo The didgeridoo ( / ˌ d ɪ dʒ ər i ˈ d uː / ), also spelt didjeridu , among other variants,
5632-558: The introduction and solo sections. Ambient artist Steve Roach uses it in his collaborative work Australia: Sound of the Earth with Australian Aboriginal artist David Hudson and cellist Sarah Hopkins, as well as Dreamtime Return . It is used in the Indian song " Jaane Kyon " from the film Dil Chahta Hai . Chris Brooks, lead singer of the New Zealand hard rock band Like a Storm , uses
5720-421: The land and the position that native people have within that space. Identity plays a major role in understanding the rock art in the region. There are many different sectors within the Kimberley region that allow for a dispersal of cultural thought and expression unique to the group in their respected areas. This differentiation of style may have been socially necessary, but there was a unifying aspect in regard to
5808-477: The late 20th century, using non-traditional materials and non-traditional shapes. The practice has sparked, however, a good deal of debate among indigenous practitioners and non-indigenous people about its aesthetic, ethical, and legal issues. Didgeridoos can be painted by their maker or a dedicated artist using traditional or modern paints while others retain the natural wood grain design with minimal or no decoration. A didgeridoo can be played simply by producing
5896-410: The lip and vocal fold vibrations. Adding vocalisations increases the complexity of the playing. Charlie McMahon , who formed the group Gondwanaland , was one of the first non-Aboriginal players to gain fame as a professional didgeridoo player. He has toured internationally with Midnight Oil . He invented the didjeribone, a sliding didgeridoo made from two lengths of plastic tubing; its playing style
5984-581: The most floristically rich parts of Australia outside the Wet Tropics and southwestern WA. There are also areas of mangrove in river estuaries where the coast is flatter . In 1979, Beard identified four phytogeographic districts within the Northern Botanical Province: Animals found here include the huge saltwater crocodile and a rich variety of birds such as the channel-billed cuckoo , Pacific koel , purple-crowned fairywren and
6072-573: The most important stop-over areas for shorebirds in Australia and globally". Finally there are a number of rocky islands off the north coast that are home to seabirds and turtles . Little of the Kimberley has been subject to wholesale clearance other than particularly fertile parts of the Ord Valley (and areas of Kimberley-type habitat across in the Daly River basin in the Northern Territory) but
6160-449: The most widely known examples being Wandjina and Gwion Gwion . In addition to the variation in styles, there are almost equally diverse fabrication techniques. The earliest form of Kimberley rock art was hand stencils , but techniques such as engraving, painting, scratchwork, pecking, drawing, and later beeswax applique have also been used. In addition to the varying styles and techniques, there are united visual depictions that reflect
6248-421: The name for the instrument is the yiḏaki , or more recently by some, mandapul . In the Bininj Kunwok language of West Arnhem Land it is known as mako . A didgeridoo is usually cylindrical or conical , and can measure anywhere from 1 to 3 m (3 to 10 ft) long. Most are around 1.2 m (4 ft) long. Generally, the longer the instrument, the lower its pitch or key. Flared instruments play
6336-400: The painting making them prime for determining an accurate age of the kangaroo art itself. They analysed samples from 6 of the nests and settled on a date between 17,500 years old and 17,100 years old, making the kangaroo rock art the oldest in Australia. Based on oral accounts from Aboriginal people in the region it has been confirmed that many of the works that have been re-touched maintain
6424-399: The party, suggested using 200 Japanese prison inmates to launch a guerrilla campaign in Australia. No superior adopted his suggestion, and the officer was posted to other duties. The 2011 estimated permanent population of The Kimberley was 34,794 but it rises dramatically during winter when it attracts a seasonal population. On Census night in 2011 (9 August), it was 50,113. The population
6512-498: The pastureland in the southern areas has been affected by 100 years of livestock grazing and other threats including introduced weeds (such as cocklebur , parkinsonia , bellyache bush and castor oil plant ), feral cats and changes to traditional Aboriginal fire regimes (the way grassland is burnt and allowed to renew). However, the remote sandstone areas to the north have valuable original habitats in good condition providing shelter for much wildlife. The largest protected areas are
6600-574: The region. In 1881, Philip Saunders and Adam Johns, in the face of great difficulties and dangers, found gold in various parts of the Kimberley. Early in 1881, the first five graziers, who called themselves the Murray Squatting Company, took up 49,000 hectares (120,000 acres) behind Beagle Bay and named it Yeeda Station . In 1883 they were the first men to shear sheep in the southern Kimberley. Additional Anglo-European settlement occurred in 1885, when ranchers drove cattle across Australia from
6688-524: The rivers flood. The annual rainfall is highest in the northwest, where Kalumburu and the Mitchell Plateau average 1,270 millimetres (50 in) per year, and lowest in the southeast where it is around 520 millimetres (20 in). In the dry season, from May to October, south easterly breezes bring sunny days and cool nights. Climate change since 1967 has led to large increases of as much as 250 millimetres (10 in) per year in annual rainfall over
6776-520: The road into the Bungle Bungles can at times be accessed in a two-wheel drive car, although one can access many additional areas in a four-wheel drive vehicle. Other parks in the region include Geikie Gorge National Park , Mirima National Park , Mitchell River National Park , Point Coulomb National Park , Purnululu National Park , Tunnel Creek National Park , Windjana Gorge National Park and Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater National Park . In 2012
6864-440: The role of the instrument in the concert hall both with his own orchestral and chamber music works and with those written or arranged for him by prominent Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe . A termite-bored didgeridoo has an irregular shape that, overall, usually increases in diameter towards the lower end. This shape means that its resonances occur at frequencies that are not harmonically spaced in frequency. This contrasts with
6952-600: The same length. The didgeridoo is classified as a wind instrument and is similar in form to a straight trumpet , but made of wood. It has also been called a dronepipe. Traditional didgeridoos are usually made from hardwoods , especially the various eucalyptus species that are endemic to northern and central Australia. Generally the main trunk of the tree is harvested, though a substantial branch may be used instead. Traditional didgeridoo makers seek suitably hollow live trees in areas with obvious termite activity. Termites attack these living eucalyptus trees, removing only
7040-417: The schooner Lynher from Cape Town , South Africa. They reached Hanover Bay on 2 December 1837. The exploring party started inland on 19 January 1838. Leaders and men were totally inexperienced, their progress was delayed by flooded country, and they abandoned many stores along the way. The party was constantly split up although they had to contend with large numbers of hostile Aboriginals. On 11 February, Grey
7128-464: The soil. The southern end of the Kimberley beyond the Dampier Peninsula is flatter with dry tropical grassland and is used for cattle ranching. In parts of the Kimberley, such as the valleys of the Ord and Fitzroy Rivers in the south, the soils are relatively usable cracking clays , whilst elsewhere they are lateritic Orthents . Although none of the mountains reach even 1,000 metres (3,281 ft), there
7216-507: The unconfirmed marbled toadlet , Mjoberg's toadlet , mole toadlet and stonemason's toadlet . Mammals that have declined especially in the flatlands include the bilby , northern quoll , pale field rat , golden-backed tree-rat , and golden bandicoot . Megabats such as the black flying foxes and little red flying foxes are common and perform important pollination and seed dispersal work for many species of native trees and shrubs. A species of endemic gecko , Gehyra kimberleyi ,
7304-417: The wetter valleys. The banks of the Ord , Fitzroy River and other rivers are home to a greater variety of vegetation, while in sheltered gorges of the high rainfall north there are patches of tropical dry broadleaf forest , called monsoon forests , deciduous vine forest or vine thicket in Australia, (often mistakenly which is called "dry rainforest"), which were unknown to science until 1965, and are one of
7392-583: The whole region. A 2007 study suggests Asian pollution may be a key contributory factor to this increased rainfall. In 1997 and 2000, the region received especially heavy rains, leading to record flooding of the Fitzroy and other rivers. The Kimberley is one of the hottest parts of Australia, with the average annual mean temperature around 27 °C (81 °F), and with mean maximum temperatures almost always above 30 °C (86 °F), even in July. The hottest part of
7480-606: The year is November before the rains break, when temperatures frequently reach above 37 °C (99 °F) on the coast and well over 40 °C (104 °F) inland. Mean minimum temperatures in July range from around 12 °C (54 °F) in the south to 16 °C (61 °F) along the coast, whilst in November and December they are generally around 26 °C (79 °F). Record high temperatures range from around 47 to 48 °C (117 to 118 °F), while record lows are around 2 to 3 °C (36 to 37 °F), although some parts of
7568-618: The yidaki is still used to accompany singers and dancers in cultural ceremonies . For the Yolngu people, the yidaki is part of their whole physical and cultural landscape and environment, comprising the people and spirit beings which belong to their country, kinship system and the Yolngu Matha language . It is connected to Yolngu Law and underpinned by ceremony, in song, dance, visual art and stories. Pair sticks, sometimes called clapsticks ( bilma or bimla by some traditional groups), establish
7656-675: Was part of the local people's religious philosophy. During the 18th century, Dutch explorers named the region of Kimberley and nearby Darwin variations of Van Diemen's Land after the VOC governor-general Anthony van Diemen . This should not be confused with the more general and prolonged use of the same name for Tasmania . In 1837, with expedition support from the Royal Geographical Society of Great Britain , Lieutenants George Grey and Franklin Lushington and 12 men sailed on
7744-633: Was speared and became critically ill but, after two weeks, continued the exploration. The party found and named the Gairdner River , the Glenelg River , the Stephen and Whately ranges and Mount Lyell before returning to Hanover Bay in April. There they were picked up by HMS Beagle and Lynher and taken to Mauritius to recuperate. In 1879, Western Australian government surveyor Alexander Forrest led
#27972