Who Can Play the Didgeridoo? Understanding History, Culture and Respect

By NATSIC-AS – National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation – Advocacy Service

Across Australia, few cultural items are as recognisable as the didgeridoo. It has become an international symbol of Aboriginal Australia, appearing in tourism campaigns, music festivals, classrooms and cultural events around the world.

However, one of the most common questions we hear is:

“Are women allowed to play the didgeridoo?”

Like many questions involving Aboriginal culture, the answer is more complex than a simple yes or no.

The most respectful answer is that it depends on which Aboriginal community you ask.

The Didgeridoo is Not a Universal Aboriginal Instrument

One of the biggest misconceptions is that the didgeridoo has always been played by every Aboriginal nation throughout Australia.

That simply is not true.

Australia is home to more than 250 Aboriginal nations and hundreds of language groups, each with their own customs, laws, ceremonies and cultural practices.

The didgeridoo originated among Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia, particularly Arnhem Land in what is now the Northern Territory. Among these Traditional Owners, the instrument is known by names such as:

• Yidaki (Yolngu)

• Mago (West Arnhem Land)

• Numerous other traditional names depending on language group.

The word “didgeridoo” itself is not an Aboriginal word. Most historians believe it was coined by European settlers during the nineteenth century because it mimicked the sound produced by the instrument.

Over the last century, the didgeridoo spread throughout Australia and eventually became one of the world’s most recognisable Indigenous musical instruments.

One of the World’s Oldest Wind Instruments

Archaeological evidence suggests the instrument has been used for at least 1,000–1,500 years, making it one of the oldest continuously played wind instruments in the world.

Many Aboriginal Elders, however, explain that this scientific dating does not tell the full story.

For many First Nations peoples, the yidaki has existed since the Dreaming. Its significance is understood through culture, ceremony and oral tradition rather than archaeological evidence alone.

Both perspectives are important.

So… Can Women Play It?

This is where misunderstanding often begins.

There is no single Aboriginal law that says women cannot play the didgeridoo.

Likewise, there is no universal Aboriginal law that says women can.

Instead, the answer depends entirely on the cultural protocols of the Traditional Owners whose instrument and traditions are being followed.

Arnhem Land Protocols

Among many Aboriginal nations in Arnhem Land, particularly the Yolngu, the yidaki is a sacred ceremonial instrument traditionally played by men.

It accompanies ceremony, songlines and cultural knowledge that have been passed through countless generations.

Within these communities:

• men traditionally play the yidaki;

• women have equally important ceremonial roles through song, dance and cultural leadership; and

• the restriction is understood as a matter of cultural law rather than gender inequality.

These protocols have been recognised by organisations including AIATSIS and the Australia Council for the Arts.

What Do National Cultural Protocols Say?

One of Australia’s leading references on Indigenous cultural practice is the Australia Council for the Arts’ Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts.

Rather than declaring a universal rule, the document explains that opinions differ across Aboriginal communities.

It notes that there is:

“…a strong belief that in most instances, women are not allowed to play the instrument…”

However, it immediately emphasises that musicians should consult the Traditional Custodians and seek permission where appropriate because protocols differ between communities.

The same publication repeatedly reminds readers that Aboriginal Australia is culturally diverse and that no single protocol applies everywhere.

Why Is There So Much Confusion?

Much of today’s confusion exists because the didgeridoo has become a commercial instrument.

It is now:

• sold worldwide;

• taught in schools;

• played professionally by Indigenous and non-Indigenous musicians;

• manufactured outside Australia; and

• performed in contexts completely unrelated to traditional ceremony.

As the instrument spread, different communities developed different views about its use.

Some Aboriginal communities outside Arnhem Land do not traditionally use the didgeridoo at all.

Others have adopted it into cultural practice.

Some maintain male-only traditions.

Others do not.

This diversity reflects the reality that Aboriginal Australia has never been one single culture.

Respect Comes Before Rules

Too often, discussions about who “can” or “cannot” play the didgeridoo become arguments over absolute rights.

That approach misses the point.

Aboriginal culture has always been grounded in respect.

Respect for:

• Country;

• Elders;

• Traditional Owners;

• ceremony;

• language; and

• cultural authority.

Where an instrument holds ceremonial significance to a particular community, respecting that community’s cultural protocols is the appropriate course of action.

Listening to the Traditional Custodians is far more important than debating blanket rules on social media.

NATSIC-AS View

At NATSIC-AS, we recognise that Aboriginal Australia is incredibly diverse.

We encourage people to avoid repeating myths or oversimplifying complex cultural practices.

The available historical and cultural evidence demonstrates:

• the didgeridoo originated in northern Australia rather than throughout the continent;

• many Arnhem Land peoples maintain long-standing cultural protocols restricting ceremonial playing of the yidaki to men;

• there is no Australia-wide Aboriginal law applying the same rule to every nation; and

• the most respectful approach is to acknowledge and follow the cultural protocols of the Traditional Custodians whose traditions are being observed.

Respect for culture begins with listening to those who have inherited and continue to protect it.

References

• Australia Council for the Arts, Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts (2019).

• Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS), Didjeridu/Yidaki (historical and cultural overview).

• Indigenous custodial knowledge and cultural protocols of the Yolngu and other Arnhem Land Traditional Owners.