iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

I've always LOVED old instruments that play well but sadly they're extremely difficult to come by. Some of my favourite sticks are those that are old, have been used ceremonially, and are also gorgeously painted with ochre, the pigments having become etched into the wood over time and having this lovely faded look... but unfortunately these sticks are virtually non-existent and I only have a small handful of them.

My idea is to offer a new "product line" where the best "new" instruments are decorated with ochre but without the layer of glue separating the wood from the pigments. The instruments are air-dried for an extended period of time so that they're absolutely stabilised, and by that, I mean there is no longer much exchange of moisture between the wood and the surrounding air. There is always this exchange because air humidity fluctuates constantly, but when an instrument is 'wet' as most are even months after they have been crafted, problems with cracking can occur.

So my idea is to offer 'dry' instruments with ochre decoration applied directly onto the wood surface without the instrument having been sealed with glue first. Once the instrument has been painted, it is then sealed on the outside with a matt product so the ochres don't come off on your hands, yet with time, the ochres will become 'etched' into the wood. We could also seal the insides if required. This is something that we can do through our artist-in-residence program and we have begun with a couple of trials with fantastic results.

Because of the time, energy, 'intellectual property', not to mention the costs involved, the instruments will necessary be expensive but not more so that the dearest non-Aboriginal made didgeridoos on the market. We will only offer the very very best yidaki and mago in this "product line", the 2 or 3 standout instruments that we source each year, so the number of such offerings will necessarily be limited.

What do you guys think? Any interest?

Guan

Forgot to mention. Backed by guarantee! That the instrument won't crack, that the instrument can be sent back to us at our expense for a refund if the customer is not totally and absolutely satisfied. These will be yidaki and mago with great shapes, top-notch ochre artwork, and acoustics that are the very best and better than one could ever dream for.

Guan

I reckon you've already done this with Banyawarra Malibirr's first line of incredible yidaki - one of which I still retain. The ochres were not sealed and the paintwork has begun to fade with use. Chalky has the other one I had and his has faded very nicely. There's something very special about instruments covered in stone when they age.

Hi Kyle,

I can't remember how Banyawarra did those instruments, I think she sealed them first with glue though as is typical when Yolngu make instruments, they were still 'green' or 'wet' when they were painted. But she didn't use much glue when grinding the ochres hence the fading which I've heard was more rapid than some would have liked especially with the white gamununggu (pipe clay).

This new idea is a bit different, which is to allow the ochres to sit on bare wood, but then to have the ochres protected from wear and handling so the painted designs always look fresh though with time and oxidation there will also be natural fading.

Guan

Guan

I'd be interested to know what it is you are intending to put on the outside of these instruments and how you are going to apply it. I have managed to find a completely flat matt acrylic (water based) "varnish", for a bettter word, that I have used on a couple of my personal instruments in the past one of them being an ochre mago. I am not sure if this actually changed the colours of the pigments or not, especially the white, over time as I have done the whole instrument, it definately looks a bit more dull than it did originally. Also, depending how much "glue" is mixed with the ochre when it is painted it is very likely that even the most gentle brushing will smudge the ochre unless you are going to gently spray it or at least spray the first coat. I must admit, when I did mine and the white turned transparent temporarily it did freak me out a bit!!! I haven't done any other of my ochre instruments since for the above reasons but I would if I could find an aerosol acrylic very quick drying product which didn't make the white go a bit yellowish. If you have I would be interested to know what it is. Anyway, apart from that, yes it is a good idea. not sure whether all of this though would still guarantee no cracks

Thanks
Paul

Hi Guan

Like Paul, I am kind of curious as to see if you have such a matt product which does not alter the colors at all.(if it is not a secret recipe you have come up with)

With your offer, I'd surely be interested in getting such instruments. Can you post a pic here?

Thanks

Mahir

In my mind, genuine Yidaki & Mago owners are aware of the risks of cracking and also know how to cope with a crack.
So why bother about a no-crack guarantee and a sealing process ?
Why not keep the new product-line TOTALLY raw and original ?
With all the risks it may present ?
Advantages :
> lower price, without guarantee & sealing process.
> REALLY raw "like in old times" instrument... not just a look-alike.
You say you like the way the ochres get into the wood with time... But I think that both that process plus the way they get OFF the wood through manipulation give a good "used" look to the stick (+repaired cracks, +knocks on the wood).
Of course, there's more general value to the Yidaki if it has been used in Yolngu ceremony rather than in Balanda music jams, but to the owner and "user" of the stick, that last way of getting the instrument "used" is probably as valuable (well, differently, but at least it has been used personally and has a 1st hand story).
Personally, I'd prefer a 100% raw yidaki, especially if its chosen from the very best stock of sticks (!), that will be marked through my manipulations and at a lower cost.
But it's only my point of view...

Then you'd have to think very carefully about the way you wrap these yidakis up for shipping.
Shock-proof box of course, but also which keeps very constant temperature and perfectly hermetic to humidity changes.
And join a paper warning not to play it too quick and too long and to let it accomodate to its new climate and all...

Paul and Mahir, the matt product I use is protected by a trademark and the process copyrighted, so if I tell you what it is, I'd have to kill you after.

Nah, actually it was Peter G in the Netherlands who put me onto it, thanks Peter! The product is made by Polyvine and is a Decorator's Varnish, make sure to get the dead flat option. Polyvine's website:

http://www.polyvine.com/category/show/p ... arnishes/6

They sell this in other countries too (but not Australia), check with your local hardware store or do a Google search.

As for application, the best way to do it would be to spray it on with a pump pack or something that will generate a fine continuous mist. Do it outside of course, not only to prevent your household items being varnished, but if done outside in the sun the varnish will dry very quickly, almost instantly, and the varnish will not run and ruin the artwork. I wouldn't suggest doing it with a brush, it will lead to smudging of the ochres.

You may want to experiment with the product and how much to dilute it, because the product is quite thick, its kinda like clag (do you remember in primary school making your own glue from corn flour and water?). If the result is too dull after application, a bit of PVA glue mixed with the product and water won't hurt.

Bear in mind that cloudiness may form if you mix this product with water, the same thing happens with PVA glue when mixed with water. It can leave a white residue on your instrument if not done correctly! So do lots of experiments and see what works for you.

The final sealing of the instrument with Polyvine is actually the easiest part in the chain of processes where at the end of it we are able to offer these "Masterpiece series" instruments.

Francis, I hear you. Totally raw can be done too, though note that in the 'old days' Yolngu also used various extracts of plant materials as a fixative. I remember djalkurrk as told to me by Yolngu which is an orchid species, the bulb of the orchid when crushed gives a slimy sticky gel which is used as a fixative. There is also a yam-like plant which does the same thing but I've forgotten the Yolngu name of it, it'll be in my field notes somewhere.

With this Masterpiece series however, the idea is to appeal to a wider market rather than just yidaki and mago owners/players. Some of the most expensive non-Aboriginal-made didgeridoos made in Australia sell for $5000-7000, and there is a market for these sorts of instruments that are guaranteed not to crack, that play beyond the expectations of their owners, that are what didgeridoo dreams are all about. I still prefer Yolngu- and Bininy-made instruments for their acoustic rawness, there's something special about these sticks which seems to be lost when non-Aboriginal makers focus too much the bore and thinning the walls of instruments excessively. It becomes a manufactured product as opposed to the way Aboriginal people in the Top End make instruments, which is really about finding the right tree. Lots of right trees can be found by Aboriginal people, but some trees are more right than others when everything is exactly right and the resulting instrument just blows you away.

Well, anyway, pic attached of one of our Masterpiece series yidaki, it hasn't been "Polyvined" yet so is as raw as it can get.

Guan

Nice pict, nice decoration
Is it hail Dreaming on left and right side of pict ?


Yes, though these fixative adjuvents (yellow of an egg can also be used) are mixed with the ocre before application, and not pulverised afterwards... like PVA glue nowadays.
Or is this a wrong idea I have ? (as you say PVA is coated before ochre application in previous post).

I don't clearly see who the target buyers would be.
Musicians who want a really good instrument with a no-crack guarantee ?
I think those people would still prefer a very smooth over-varnished and thin-bored instrument.
In fact, I even think that if some Didjs WOULD be made under industrial process, many musicians would rather buy those than manufactured ones.
No one plays manufactured saxophones, tubas or guitar...
In my mind (and I may be wrong), the potential buyers of such a product-line would rather still be yidaki/mago afficionados (more than ever!), and people making art collections.

Anyway, I find your idea interesting. Keep us informed

Hi Francis,

The pic was only a small part of the instrument, if you saw the rest of it, the story should become obvious!

I've never seen how these natural fixatives were used, I've only been told about them. Now that could be a task or little project, to document how these things were used.

Guan

Hi Guan

Spot on!!! beat you to it by about 18 months, I have two 1 litre bottles of it here at home now. Yes it is flat matt and thats what I used but have never tried to spray it to be honest. I did use a brush but was very wary and got away with it, I didn't thin it but as you say too thick or too many coats will produce a milky finish expecially over a black base.
I will try and find a before and after pic of the mago I did if I can

Thanks
Paul

Don't know if you did Paul - I got some instruments from Guan a few years ago with this on them!

Hi Kyle

Oh, got the impression it was a new discovery by Guan? How did you know yours had been treated? apart from being told you must have a keen eye! I get the feeling from looking at all the blurb on the SS site that they may possibly treat theirs as well!! I haven't got a before/after comparison but I have just taken a couple of close ups of the mago I treated and as you can see it still retains its matt finish. I have though tried this on other (non didj) surfaces that were originally a smooth less porous finish than an ochre painted instrument, to see if it would make these totally matt, and found that it didn't dry totally matt but had a slight sheen to it. As Guan said, its important to experiment with what you want it to do BEFORE treating the instrument. it is though the best acrylic matt I have found to date, unless anyone out there knows different!!

Paul

Guan told me about this new sealant he was using after the initial problems with the first Banyawarra batch and I've got a couple of fantastically painted sticks with it on. Generally, I like my sticks as raw as possible as I'm a fan of the faded look, but when they're for sale or the artwork is especially important than I don't mind if they're sealed.