iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

Aboriginal Arts Ltd · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: London, UK

I hear what you're saying Kyle but I believe we can all make a difference, the greater the number the faster the change, the bigger the ensemble the louder the voice. I think this could be a small step which could effect a larger change. Very Happy

_________________
Colin
www.aboriginalarts.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=iDIDJUK
+44 20 8123 1575

flyangler18 · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 394

The question to ask then, is why? Why haven't there been strides in controlling or legitimizing unsavory aspects of the mass-produced didjeridu market in Australia? Certainly there has been a clamor for some kind of legislative reform, as evidenced by both this forum and Guan's advocacy work. There was a labeling system in place at one point in time- but has since gone extinct.

I suspect I know the answer- the tourist didjeridu industry is a big economic force, much larger than the trade of top-quality instruments of high cultural integrity.

_________________
www.jdidj.com

RawFoodGuy · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 13 Location: Florida, USA

Governments and bureaucracies are never an answer...that is why they have not provided one. The answer to pressure from the tourist industry is to fight fire with fire - using marketing or publicity. Most tourists have no idea about these issues and I believe many would like the idea of supporting Aboriginal people and culture, and would prefer instruments, even those merely bought for decorations, that were authorized by the Aboriginal Community. Competitive pressures would then encourage more and more makers and dealers to get involved at some level.

Once the traditional communities and makers organize and establish a system like I suggested, the membership and other fees would provide a budget that can be used to promote the new system and logo...especially internally within the tourism sector. Free workshops, performances, etc. in tourist areas could also be used to educate tourists about the issues and how to know what is really traditional and supportive of Aboriginal rights. Then tourists would start looking for the logo, and tourists would start showing a preference, voting with their dollars, for approved products. Competitive pressure would cause many other makers and sellers to get onboard rather than lose business to a guy next door with the logo in his window.

As this grows, the assoc. could offer educational programs as part of the application process for makers and vendors so that even those that currently wouldn't qualify for approval could become approved at some low generic level of certification for having taken some couorse in Aboriginal History and Arts - say as just an "Authorized Aboriginal Arts Dealer" or "Certified Manufacturer." A certified member making non-traditional items might even apply to the association for approval of designs, or purchase approved designs the association and its member, giving traditional communities a chance to regulate the use of them...this way real, ceremonial or spiritual designs and symbols would be protected while strictly decorative designs would be encouraged, now that folks would understand that there is a difference. Then at least even a few of the worst dealers and manufacturers of non-traditional items would be getting educated on the issues and contributing to the Aboriginal communities and artists with membership fees, tuitions and royalties.

The hardest part of this could be enforcement as the assoc. would need to police misuse of the logo or counterfeiting the logo with legal action. However, even with misuses, there would still be a substantial improvement, and a big step towards reclaiming ownership of their cultural heritage.

_________________
RFG

www.RawFoodLife.com
www.PlanetaryHarmonics.com (to come)
www.AdventuresMarketing.com

kdidj · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 255

flyangler18 wrote:

I suspect I know the answer- the tourist didjeridu industry is a big economic force, much larger than the trade of top-quality instruments of high cultural integrity.

Exactly.

Your suggestions are great RFG, but incredibly hard to implement. A trip to Australia will show the kind of thing we're up against, as will a quick Ebay search for 'didgeridoo'.

The communities who create, for want of a better phrase, 'authentic traditional' didjeridus seldom have any direct contact with the tourist operators in the south as their instruments are often collected by the community Art Centre. Their lives are based in the their homelands. We don't really know how much they know of the cheap ripoff didjeridu market, nor do we know how they themselves feel about it. Perhaps Guan will be able to ask them and get some direct feedback from Arnhem Landers. Afterall, would it not be preferable for an Association to be established by them and with their input?

_________________
www.kdidj.com
www.myspace.com/kylemaplesden

RawFoodGuy · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 13 Location: Florida, USA

kdidj wrote:

Afterall, would it not be preferable for an Association to be established by them and with their input?

Of course, it would have to be established by traditional Aboriginal communities and art centres working together, with the support of people like those that participate in these traditional didgeridoo forums adn others that care. Of course, it won't be easy...but is it easier to sit back and watch them being exploited? It starts with the first step, perhaps something like this discussion...then one step at a time. One step is easy.

_________________
RFG

www.RawFoodLife.com
www.PlanetaryHarmonics.com (to come)
www.AdventuresMarketing.com

TorvalAK · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Portugal

I definitely agree with RFG's idea.

However, I have a question:

How can one evaluate the authenticity of an instrument? That is, given any shop that sells didgeridoos, how can one be sure those didgeridoos are made in accordance with the defined quality standards? The retailer can lie about where he got them, a bootlegger can say he bought those instruments from an Aboriginal community, and someone can bribe a few Aboriginal people so they say they made those instruments.

Knowing the difference between a masterpiece and a souvenir is easy, but knowing the difference between a 'respectful' souvenir and a 'non-respectful' one is not so easy.

Aboriginal Arts Ltd · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: London, UK

We may not be voters in Australia, and it may be hugely difficult to directly influence the government, officials and the tourist machine, yet if we decide now, as a collective of didgeridoo enthusiats with a heart and desire for fairness, awareness and cultural understanding, we can influence the buying public, little by little, with small steps (I agree wholeheartedly with you RFG).
I recall the story by a Tibetan monk who once said "So you think you are too small to make a difference, think about what one tiny mosquito buzzing around in the darkness can do to a whole group of people!"
Guan and I exchanged some emails about this very subject a few years ago, he had ma lot on his plate and its a big undertaking for one individual but as a collective we can and will make a difference! Who is up for the challenge?

_________________
Colin
www.aboriginalarts.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=iDIDJUK
+44 20 8123 1575

ididjaustralia · Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2007 5:43 pm Post subject:

flyangler18 wrote:

There was a labeling system in place at one point in time- but has since gone extinct..

It wasn't a very good labeling system and it was actually the organisation behind it that went extinct. Under their system, any didgeridoo made or painted by an Indigenous Australia got a tick of approval. It did not look deeply enough into specifics nor into geographic and cultural differences in Australia. Under that system, it was either yes this is Indigenous, or no, this is not.

_________________
iDIDJ Australia - Didgeridoo Cultural Hub
E-mail: info@ididj.com.au
Web: www.ididj.com.au
YouTube: www.youtube.com/ididjaustralia

Aboriginal Arts Ltd · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: London, UK

Perhaps this ought to be under a new thread, but If it is felt there would be a benefit to the setting up of a Traditional Aboriginal Didgeridoo Association which could help the general public make informed choices when buying an instrument, especially online, then I would freely and enthusiastically give much time to the project! If we could come up and agree a draght idea, perhaps either Guan or Randin might be able to have the project supported by the Custodians and elders themselves? In this way it would be an honour to display the 'ethical seller' Association stamp on a didgeridoo website, there would be a lot of interest to join and it would act as a means to further promote cultural understanding as well as giving some protection to members of the public.
What are your thoughts now Guan?
Cheers,

_________________
Colin
www.aboriginalarts.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=iDIDJUK
+44 20 8123 1575

ididjaustralia · Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:39 am Post subject:

Hi Colin,

There's already iDIDJ Australia which is doing exactly this sort of work. Traditional Aboriginal Didgeridoo Association is a bit long and not so easy to remember. There is always ANKAAA too which is an arts advocacy body for Top End communities. With Richard Birrinbirrin as new chairman (the Honey Man in Ten Canoes) we might be able to do something there... I've been speaking to his brother Neville Djingal who by the way will be contributing to this forum soon. Djingal is the only son of Dollar Man, Dr David Malangi Daymirringu, who achieved fame as the artist whose artwork was used (initially without permission nor remuneration) by the Commonwealth of Australia on Australia's old $1 paper bill. Neville is a public servant with AQIS and has previously worked for the Northern Territory's Chief Minister (the equivalent of a Premier in an Australian state)) in 1984-85 (or was in 1985-86?). He's one of the most eloquent Yolngu I've met. Anyway, stay tuned for Neville's input...

Guan

_________________
iDIDJ Australia - Didgeridoo Cultural Hub
E-mail: info@ididj.com.au
Web: www.ididj.com.au
YouTube: www.youtube.com/ididjaustralia

Aboriginal Arts Ltd · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: London, UK

Hi Guan,

Quote:

There's already iDIDJ Australia which is doing exactly this sort of work

Absolutely! Sorry if I was not clear, the complimentary organisation would purely be a visible statement on didgeridoo websites that they were ethical sellers of didgeridoos, or sellers of purely traditional instruments... Websites that would be excluded would be those advertising dot painted logs adorned with masses of beeswax as traditional yidaki, or following other unethical practices. I was recalling our discussion a while back which concerned your brilliant idea about how it could be possible to regularise and define the huge number of didgeridoo websites on the internet by promoting membership to a didgeridoo association. The comments by the RFG reminded me of this. Erm, yes

Quote:

Traditional Aboriginal Didgeridoo Association

was just a poor example of a name to convey this idea. Whether it be iDIDJ Worldwide, or another name, the association could both grant and revoke membership thus providing a standard of service for the didgeridoo business on the internet. I would be happy to lend my solid support and free time to assist such a project if considered worthwhile.
Cheers Guan!

_________________
Colin
www.aboriginalarts.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=iDIDJUK
+44 20 8123 1575

kdidj · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 255

The Ididj Guild, in its previous incarnation, acted precisely as this marker you speak of Colin and I'm sure when it has been revamped it will do the same.

_________________
www.kdidj.com
www.myspace.com/kylemaplesden

SeriousChris · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 16 Location: Switzerland

At the World Wide Fund for nature where I work, we do this sort of thing all the time: creating quality labels for ethical and environmental standards. What is of paramount importance for the success of such labels is

a) that there are clearly defined and written down sets of standards,
a) that there is an independent controlling organ, and
b) that the board is composed of actors of all steps of the chain, from the primary producers to the final retailers and that the standards are accepted by all involved parties.

The iDIDJ guild in its past and present form did not meet these basic requirements for an independent labelling institution. That does not mean that iDIDJ can't take a leading role in establishing such a thing but once it's established, it has to be able to walk on its own feet.

_________________
Serious Sticks

Aboriginal Arts Ltd · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 14 Location: London, UK

Quote:

a) that there are clearly defined and written down sets of standards,
a) that there is an independent controlling organ, and
b) that the board is composed of actors of all steps of the chain, from the primary producers to the final retailers and that the standards are accepted by all involved parties.

Yes, you have worthy points here Chris, I believe the foundations are vitally important for the project to be successful.

_________________
Colin
www.aboriginalarts.co.uk
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=iDIDJUK
+44 20 8123 1575

flyangler18 · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 394

Quote:

The iDIDJ guild in its past and present form did not meet these basic requirements for an independent labelling institution.

I agree Christian- any such labeling institution must be independant to prevent any charges of 'conflict of interest'. However, the iDIDJ labelling system is far superior to any available to date- and is likely the model for most yidaki/mago enthusiasts.

_________________
www.jdidj.com