Australian Aboriginal Music

Aborigines communicate with spiritual and Ancestor Beings through a variety of rituals. These include prayers, songs, dances, music and offerings. Important rituals associated with the Dreaming of an individual or a group must be performed regularly. Through these rituals the Dreaming comes alive and is kept alive among the worshippers.

Aboriginal traditional music consists of haunting rhythmic singing supported by a limited number of instruments mainly percussive

Sticks, one, long and slightly flattened the other, more rounded is brought sharply and cleanly on to the first. The paired sticks can vary considerably in shape.  

Boomerang clapsticks these provide a similar function as the sticks. At times they may be shaken so as to provide a continuous rattle.  

Handclapping and slapping various parts of the body are used by singers of both sexes, sometimes as a substitute for a pair of sticks. 

 Set of percussion sticks sometimes referred to "gongs", the set of three or four variously-lengthed wooden sticks hit with a stick  

A percussion tube, the "hollow log drum" is used with the Ubar ceremonies. Other percussive idiophones include a \ 

Stick beaten on a shield, a stick beaten on another stick lying on the ground, and the women's bark bundle hit on the ground.  

Rasp The Kimberley Tabi songs are accompanied by a rasp. A notched stick or the side of a spear thrower is scraped by a second, smaller stick.  

Rattle Island style songs from Cape York are accompanied by bunches of seed pods shaken in the hand. 

A single-headed hour glass shaped drum, whose head is made from lizard or goanna skin 

Bullroarers flattish carved wood connected to a piece of twine and swung vigorously around in circles, various shapes and sizes create different sounds 

The traditional didgeridoo (didjeridu) was formed when a branch of a tree, naturally hollow, is further hollowed out by termites. These branches were cut to a suitable length (approx. 1.5 metres), hollowing out both ends a little more and sometimes smoothing the mouthpiece with gum.  

Blown with vibrating lips, the didgeridoo gives a fundamental note with a rich and complex harmonic series. Constant air pressure is maintained by simultaneously blowing out through the mouth and breathing in through the nose, using the cheeks as a reservoir. 

Corroboree the English version of the Aboriginal word Caribberie was first used by early European invaders to describe Aboriginal ceremonies that involved singing and dancing.  

Dances often imitated animals or birds. Serious ritual, like those taught in initiation ceremonies or sacred dancing was quite distinct from light hearted camp dancing that men, women and children could share.

 Everyone watched and performed the songs and dances and played the instruments from a young age. Songs and dances performed during the ceremonies passed on information about The Dreaming.

In some dances all participated, however others were reserved for a small few due to the sacred nature of dance. There are some women's and men's dances and songs and those used by both men and women.

As a part of these dances, members of the language would paint particular designs on their bodies to indicate the type of ceremony being held and the language group and family group performing. Special costumes were worn and special instruments were used.

Considerable stamina is required for this technique and a good didjeridu player is considered capable of sustaining fast energetic rhythmic patterns throughout a given song. A skilled player is highly respected and may travel with a professional song man to enhance trade meetings or other interband meetings. 

Music dance

The word corroboree was first used by early European invaders to describe Aboriginal ceremonies that involved singing and dancing. Corroboree was the English version of the Aboriginal word Caribberie.

Women and Children dancing Not all songs and dances were sacred, like those taught in initiation ceremonies. Everyone watched and performed the songs and dances and played the instruments from a young age. Songs and dances performed during the ceremonies passed on information about The Dreaming.

In some dances all participated, however others were reserved for a small few due to the sacred nature of dance. There are some women's and men's dances and songs and those used by both men and women.

As a part of these dances, members of the language would paint particular designs on their bodies to indicate the type of ceremony being held and the language group and family group performing. Special costumes were worn and special instruments were used.