Indigenous music of Australia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Indigenous music of Australia is the amazing music created by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This music is a super important part of their culture and ceremonies. It has been around for thousands of years!

Some musical styles and instruments are special to certain groups. But many traditions are shared across Australia. Music from the Torres Strait Islanders is also linked to music from nearby New Guinea. For Indigenous Australians, music helps keep their culture strong and alive.

Since Europeans arrived in Australia, Indigenous musicians have also started playing Western music styles. They often mix these with their own traditional instruments and feelings. Non-Indigenous artists have also used Indigenous styles in their music. Today, you can find famous Indigenous Australian performers in rock, country, hip hop, and reggae music.

Awesome Traditional Instruments
- Didgeridoo
- Clapsticks
- Gum Leaf
- Bullroarer
- Rasp
Traditional Music Styles
Modern Indigenous Music
Places to Learn Music
See also

Awesome Traditional Instruments

Didgeridoo

Musicians playing didgeridoos at Fremantle Markets.

The didgeridoo is a very old musical instrument. It's like a long tube without finger holes. The player blows through it to make a deep, humming sound. Sometimes, it has a beeswax mouthpiece.

Didgeridoos are usually made from eucalyptus trees. But today, people also use things like PVC pipes. Traditionally, only men played the didgeridoo in ceremonies or for fun. Players use a special trick called circular breathing to make a continuous sound. This means they can breathe in while still blowing out!

Even though the didgeridoo was first used only in northern Australia, it's now seen as a national instrument for all Aboriginal Australians. It's famous worldwide! Some famous players include Djalu Gurruwiwi and William Barton.

Clapsticks

Performance of Aboriginal song and dance in the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.

Clapsticks are percussion instruments. They are not like drumsticks. Instead, you hit one stick against another to make a rhythm. They are often oval-shaped and can have paintings of animals like snakes or lizards. Some people call them 'tatty' sticks.

Gum Leaf

Tom Foster leading his Gum Leaf Band.

People can use a leaf from a gum tree as a musical instrument! You hold it in your hand and blow on it. It makes a sound like a free reed instrument. This was originally used to call birds. You might have heard a "Coo-ee" call like this in the old TV show Skippy.

Bullroarer

The bullroarer is an instrument used in special ceremonies. It's a flat piece of wood tied to a long cord. The player swings the wood around in circles. This creates a humming sound. You can change how loud the sound is by swinging it faster or slower.

Rasp

A rasp is a percussion instrument. It's similar to a Güiro. You might use the edge of a boomerang to rub along a serrated (bumpy) club. This makes a trilling sound.

Traditional Music Styles

Clan Songs (Manikay)

Manikay are "clan songs" from the Yolngu people in north-east Arnhem Land. These songs often tell stories about family history. They can also be about old myths or events in the area. Sometimes, they even get updated to include popular movies or music!

Manikay are very important for Yolngu ceremonies. They help people understand their world. They also show who owns certain lands. People have been studying these songs since the 1950s.

Manikay often means the songs in a ceremony. The word bunggul (which you'll read about next) often means the dance. But sometimes, both words can refer to the whole performance.

Songlines

Songlines are also known as "dreaming tracks." They are like invisible paths across the land or sky. These paths show the journeys of creator beings during The Dreaming. The stories of songlines are kept alive through traditional songs, dances, and art. They often help people navigate and find their way across the land.

Early Music Recordings

Some of the first people to visit Australia wrote down Aboriginal music. The very first time Aboriginal music was written down was in London in 1793. Two Eora men, Yemmerrawanne and Bennelong, sang a song in the Dharug language while they were in England.

Music from Northern Australia

Bunggul

The Yolngu word Bunggul means song, music, and dance. These all come together in a ceremony in central and eastern Arnhem Land. Bunggul songs have special words and a similar structure. Often, the singing continues for a long time after the didgeridoo and clapsticks stop.

Some songs tell about long journeys from the past. These are stories about ancestors in the Dreaming. Other songs, called Djatpangarri, are about everyday life. The words in these songs can change a lot. Musicians and the lead singer can improvise (make up parts) as they go. The person leading the ceremony guides both the dancers and the music.

The Garma Festival has bunggul performances every night. People have described bunggul as an "exhilarating performance." It's seen as one of the world's oldest musical traditions.

Kun-borrk

Kun-borrk songs come from areas like Adelaide River and Katherine. These songs always have real words, unlike some other songs that might just use sounds. There are often short breaks in the songs.

Kun-borrk songs almost always start with the didgeridoo. Then the sticks (percussion) join in, and finally the singing starts. The didgeridoo is usually the first instrument to stop playing. David Blanasi was a master of Kun-borrk music. His grandson, Darryl Dikarrna, continues this tradition.

Wajarra

Wajarra are non-sacred songs. They come from the Gurindji region of the Northern Territory. These songs are performed just for fun and entertainment. Over the years, they spread far across northern and western Australia. This happened as Aboriginal workers and their families traveled between cattle stations.

Wangga

Wangga music started near the South Alligator River. These songs begin with a very high note. This is joined by rhythmic percussion. Then, the song suddenly shifts to a low tone. Wangga is usually performed by one or two singers with clapsticks and one didgeridoo player. It's often part of a ceremony to clean a dead person's belongings with smoke.

Modern Indigenous Music

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu was a contemporary Indigenous performer who sang in the Yolngu Matha languages.

Many Indigenous Australians have become very famous in mainstream music. These include Jimmy Little (pop), Yothu Yindi (rock), Troy Cassar-Daley (country), and Jessica Mauboy (pop, R&B). Indigenous music has also become well-known through the world music movement. This is especially true at the WOMADelaide festivals.

Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, who used to be in Yothu Yindi, became famous around the world. He sang modern music in English and in one of the Yolngu languages.

Successful Torres Strait Islander musicians include Christine Anu (pop) and Seaman Dan.

Modern Indigenous music mixes old traditions with new styles. These include rock and country music. The Deadly Awards show how many different styles are played. Traditional instruments like the didgeridoo and clapsticks are often used. This gives the music a special sound.

Country music has been very popular among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for many years. Dougie Young and Jimmy Little were early stars. Troy Cassar-Daley is one of today's successful Indigenous country singers. Aboriginal artists Kev Carmody and Archie Roach mix folk-rock and country music. They sing about Aboriginal rights issues. The film and book Buried Country features important Indigenous musicians from the 1940s to the 1990s.

The movie Wrong Side of the Road (1981) and its music showed the challenges faced by Indigenous people in cities. It helped make bands like Us Mob and No Fixed Address well-known.

Australian hip hop and rap music also have many Aboriginal artists. One is the award-winning Baker Boy. He was named Young Australian of the Year in 2019. He raps and sings in Yolngu Matha.

The artist Mojo Juju has won many awards since 2018. Her music has been in TV shows like Underbelly: Razor. Thelma Plum released her first album, Better in Blak, in 2019.

DOBBY is an Aboriginal and Filipino musician. He is mostly a rapper and drummer. He sings in the Murrawarri language and English. He is also an activist for Aboriginal issues.

The nephews of Dr M. Yunupiŋu and Stuart Kellaway (both from the band Yothu Yindi) started their own band called King Stingray. They call their music "Yolngu surf rock". Their first song came out in 2020.

Places to Learn Music

In 1997, the government created the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA). This is a special place to help keep Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music and talent alive. It supports all kinds of music, from traditional to modern.