Dreamtime art & didgeridoo music - Mago master Bob Burduwal at bolkdjam cermony - art by Murevärn

Mago master Bob Burduwall at Bolkdjam cermony - sound of White Cockatoo playing - oilpainting by Murevärn.

The didgeridoo is commonly known as mago in Western Arnhem Land. Mago are typically shorter than - and acoustically different to - the yirdaki of north-east Arnhem Land. In terms of sound characteristics, mago are somewhat richer and more full-bodied than yirdaki. Also, the overtone note is not a feature of Western Arnhem Land playing and most mago do not play this note easily.

Bob Burduwal (also known as Bob Burruwal) is a brother to another great mago maker, Ambrose Cameron (deceased). Since Ambrose's passing, Burduwal has stepped up and taken the lead as the leading Rembarrnga mago maker in north-central Arnhem Land. His instruments are a delight to play and his best works show a steady hand and an eye for detail. Many of his great sticks have conical-shaped bores that have been clearly and meticulously worked, much like his brother's Ambrose's instruments. They are also sometimes decorated in multi-coloured hand-prints in ochre - a signature design that Ambrose pioneered.

In the soundtrack you can listen to Bob Burduwal's brother-in-law Darryl Digarrnga who is playing mago and to songman Jack Nawilills song in White Cockatoo Performing Group.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Dreamtime
• art
• didgeridoo
• music
• Mago
• master
• Bob
• Burduwal
• at
• bolkdjam
• cermony
• by
• Murevärn