Yol\u Rom - Stories about Yidaki - Dju\girriny'

Djalu' demonstrates the song B^rra', the west wind, and the sound of the Dju\girriny' at the 2004 Garma Festival Yidaki Forum. click the image to open a video clip in a new window

Djalu' Gurruwiwi loves to share the story he has been passed from his father about the Dju\girriny', the deep and powerful G^lpu clan yidaki that has the power to stir the west wind B^rra' and connect people from distant lands as the sound travels on that wind. It is a popular notion around the world that Djalu' is "the custodian of the yidaki" for Yol\u people, but this is not quite true. As he says in his story below, he was chosen by his father to hold the yidaki knowledge of his clan - the playing of their clan's songs and the stories of Dju\girriny' and another deep yidaki held by the G^lpu and related groups. He is not the boss of all the yidaki of all the other Yol\u clans, although because of his keen interest, he does know a good deal about them as well. Many Yol\u from the Miwatj and Laynha do respect the G^lpu as owners of the first yidaki, but this story can not be shared - only the Dju\girriny' story below can.

Djalu' called the yidaki shown here the one he always dreams of making. It called to him from the bush as he was hunting for yidaki, and he thought, "Where is that yidaki? I must find it!" As he found it and began to chop, water poured from the hole. The hollow tree had been filled with rainwater, curing the wood from the inside while it was still living. He said it healed him to play this yidaki.

It is Dju\girriny', a large and powerful instrument, with medium backpressure. Djalu' does not prefer small, high backpressure instruments, and thinks that while they are good for the fast and aggressive styles used by young Yol\u today, they are actually not good for your health. The more clear bore and lower pressure coming back at you helps you to breathe fully and naturally, rather than forcing your breath to play yidaki. This is what his father taught him, and what he credits for his health and ability to play yidaki and hunt at his old age while other old men have quit playing long ago and stay home.

This Dju\girriny' is bigger and deeper than the one we've seen before, which is also used by Djalu' in the video above. It is 174cm long, with a 38mm mouthpiece and a 13.5cm bell. It is in the key of D with an E horn tone, and requires great power but a refined and subtle lip to play. The tone is very warm and bassy, while still having great clarity in the higher frequencies. D is a deep key for modern Yol\u yidaki, whereas the other Dju\girriny' we've seen is in the higher key of E. But they share the large size, open bore, warm powerful sound with balanced high harmonics, soft, full horn tones, and midlevel backpressure. This combination of sound, size and playability makes up what Djalu' defines as the perfect Dju\girriny' and the perfect yidaki to play for your health. Listen as Djalu' plays B^rra' on this yidaki, either via the streaming audio or video clip, then you can hear the song played on a different yidaki in context with voice and clapsticks in an excerpt from the CD Gawurr Manikay.

Dh^wu Dju\girriny'puy (Story of Dju\girriny')

This is how Djalu' told the story at Garma in 2002, speaking in his own G^lpu language. The lists of place names are normal for Yol\u storytelling and singing, and are an important part of stressing connections between land and people. He refers to the original Dju\girriny', still at a sacred site with the M^wu\ people of Goulburn Island, off the north coast of western Arnhem Land. A part of this story is also being told in the song B^rra', sung above by Djalu's brother Gurritjiri.

Yow, dh^wum nh^pawuy yidakiwuy \unhal nh^la\ |aypinya Gurruwurru ga \ayi nhan Winirri\ ga \ayi nhan Yunawalthamana, Dhararrarra ga Yirrkay banhaya \ayi ri\gitj malanyna. |ayi ri\gitj \ala\uru banha...	This story is about the yidaki, at the places called |aypinya, Gurruwurru, Winirri\, Yunawalthamana, Dhararrarra, and Yirrkay. From those ri\gitj places (places ceremonially shared by clans).
Ga banhayam yidakim... yidakim nhan banhaya nhan dhupal m^rrma' - Marrakulu ga G^lpu. Yidaki-wa\an dhupal Marrakuluyu, ga nhanam m^ nhangu malikinan yaka nhan wata-wulan.	And that yidaki... there were two yidaki - Marrakulu and G^lpu. Those two clans played the yidaki, and when the Marrakulu played, it didn't work well and the sound didn't carry.
Banhaya nhan Dju\girriny'\a \ayim. Dju\girriny'\a. |unha Gurruwurru'\a. Ga Dju\gurriny'\a ga Manhdharr\a, ga |aypinyan. Manymak?	That happened there at Dju\girriny'. Dju\girriny', Gurruwurru, Manhdharr, |aypinya. Okay?
Banhayam yidakim, banhayam Dju\girriny' ny^ku. Yidaki-wa\anham bala nhan malikuyinan lupthuwanan dupthuwanam nhan ga dhurrwara\a Manhdharr\a dhal'yuwan.	That particular yidaki called Dju\girriny' is mine. The Marrakulu yidaki sounded, but then went bad, and sank in the water. Then the sound threw itself it into the river mouth at Manhdharr.
"|anapurru\guny dhuwal y^tjthinan, yapa." Bitjan nhan. "|ay wilak nhuman birr'kay'yuwa."	"This one of ours has gone bad, sister." (stressing the kinship connection between the G^lpu and Marrakulu clans) That's what they said. "Here, maybe you try."
Dit'thu\-dhuwanam nhanam miwukthuwanan wata B^rra'. B^rra'. Yalyal miwukthuwan bala liyuwan Gurruwurru. G^lmak against nhan banha liyuwanan G^lmak. "Y^w, manymaktjinan," bandakwulanynha liyuwanam Matjindji. Liyuwanam.	The yidaki sounded, then the wind B^rra' stirred. B^rra'. This soft wind stirred, then reached Gurruwurru. It reached G^lmak (home of Wititj the olive python). "Hey, that's good." It hit the Bandakwulanynha and Matjindji (sacred G^lpu sculpture and dilly bag). Hit and resonated it.
"Yow, gatjuynha. Goulburn ga |aypinya."	"Okay, take that yidaki, people of Goulburn (northwest Arnhem Land) and |aypinya."
Ga balam nhan rirrakaynha na\'thuwan Gomumuk. Gomumuklin. Ga Mirarrmina. Ga Gurwana, Many'punurru, Yapayapa.	And then the sound went to Gomumuk. And Mirarrmina. And Gurwana, Many'punurru and Yapayapa. (north central Arnhem Land)
Yow, banhayam part ny^kuway, \unha Dju\girriny', Goulburn \oya yaka, dhunupa. |unhaya wal\a badak \unha. Badak \unhaya.	Yes, that one yidaki is mine, the Dju\girriny'. It is lying there at Goulburn, straight. It's still alive there. Still there.
An A yidaki made by Mithinarri Gurruwiwi and used in ceremony in the 1960's, identified by Mithinarri's son Watjuku and Djalu' as a Goulburn style Dju\girriny'.
|arru nhunu bayi\ bitja \unha nhunu bayi\ ma wakin weka\ rrupiya yol\uyu.	But if you take a picture there, you would have to give a lot of money. (as payment for witnessing a sacred object/place)
|unhaya nhan \oya yaka. Banhayam G^lpu'wu yidaki \unhayam \urru\u. Manymak. Bala dith'dhu\-dhuwanan yakan \aya. |anapili\gu \alapalmi, djina\ wala \anapu yaka dith'dhu\dhun. Bala miwukthun yalyal.	There it lies. That first yidaki belonging to G^lpu. Okay. And I am still playing yidaki that way - [ith'dhu\. Nowadays we play [ith'dhu\ on the yidaki the same like our ancestors. Then the soft wind rises.
|unha dit'thu\dhun yaka, \upan\arru\ \unha aah \unha bayma. May\upa, Gurralpa, Djinbiditnha \unha bayma. |awa='\awa= \unha bayma. B^rra'. Dha\um |aypinya, Gayarrara, Winirri, Yunawalthamana, M^tjitjpa, Gulukurru, Yirrkawuy. Sacred \unhayam \ayi. Yuwalk!	When the yidaki sounds, it wanders around there. There at May\upa, Gurralpa, Djinbiditnha. And there at |awa='\awa=. B^rra', the west wind. Here at |aypinya, Gayarrara, Winirri, Yunawalthamana, M^tjitjpa, Gulukurru, Yirrkawuy. Those are sacred places. It's true!
Badak \unha. Yaka \arru nhan entering. |arru Mandawuy ga Galarrwuyyu dhupal yaka \ayathan. Dju\gaya.	It's still there. No one will enter (that sacred place). But Mandawuy and Galarrwuy are holding it, as dju\gaya. (caretakers of their mother's clan)
Yow, \ayam ga Gurritjiri \upandawu \unhukuya \ayi malanynha banha \upan. Yaka yu=a, \urru-na\gal bewali. Banhayam nhan wekanhan bitjanan, "\ay' Gurritjiri dha\um nhu\gulim bilmam, \ay' Djalu' yidaki dha\um nhu\guli. Yaka nhuma \arru badatjunma."	Yes, Gurritjiri (my brother) and I sing for those lands. This is not new, but has been ever since the beginning of time. Then he (our father Monyu) gave it to us like this, "here, Gurritjiri, the clapsticks (and therefore the songs) are for you, and here, Djalu', the yidaki is for you (to hold and pass on). You must not fail."