Yol\u Rom - When, Where and by Whom Yidaki are Played

Yidaki is primarily an instrument for serious ceremonial business. You will often hear the sounds of young boys practicing yidaki in Yol\u communities for fun, improvising fast and furious sounds to compete with each other and develop their skills. Some will show talent and be encouraged to learn proper ceremonial playing, and others usually leave the instrument behind as they age into their twenties. Dhukal says, "generation after generation, we see boys are growing with good didjeridu playing, they know how to play didjeridu for us in the manikay (ceremonial singing)."

Young men are more often heard practicing proper traditional songs rather than improvising as fast and loud as they can play. Sometimes they will play serious ceremonial songs for practice, some men singing or dancing, but there are also less formal songs known as dja=pa\arri that many Yol\u enjoy.

Many young Yol\u boys practice yidaki all the time. text only	Djambawa Marawili on adults, playing yidaki at the right time. text only	Wukun - "We believe that yidaki is our power." text only

When ceremony is on, perhaps a funeral or boys' initiation, you will almost always hear yidaki accompanying sacred songs. Yidaki is not traditionally a solo instrument, but an integral part of the whole ceremonial scene along with singing, clapsticks and dance. There is some flexibility for the player in many songs, but it is vitally important that sacred laws are followed, and the yidaki parts are played properly by a well-educated man who was identified for his talent at a young age. The songs are very complex with many changes, not one simple repetitive rhythm.

Bunimbirr Marika plays yidaki at a fun dhapi ceremony, surrounded by singers while others dance around the area.

Usually young men, from late teens to early thirties, play the yidaki in ceremony. Middle-aged men will sometimes play the yidaki if necessary, for example if there are no young men present who are knowledgable enough about the songs. The well known yidaki maker, player and teacher Djalu' Gurruwiwi is rare as an elder who still plays yidaki regularly, at home and in ceremony. Most older men retire from yidaki and prefer to lead the singing.

While most public ceremonies that everyone can attend include yidaki, there are some that do not. Only clapsticks are used for many of the most important and most sacred songs. There are also special sacred yidaki that are only used in deeper, secret ceremony, and are not shown in public where everyone can see and hear them.

Yol\u women do not usually play yidaki, but contrary to popular theory, they have been known to. We'll talk about this more later in the Yidaki Issues chapter.