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עמוד:44
The Didgeridoo The didgeridoo * is one of the oldest musical instruments being played today . The Aborigine people , the original population of Australia , have played and sung to the didgeridoo for at least 20 , 000 years . Some people claim that the didgeridoo could be as much as 40 , 000 years old ! The Aborigines' ancient songs and dances were , and still are , a very important part oftheir culture . Usually , only men play the didgeridoo , although there are no laws that say women cannot play . Since the Aborigine community is made up of different family groups , customs concerning the didgeridoo differ depending on the group . In some groups , women are not even allowed to touch the instrument ; in others , women make and play them for tourists . The didgeridoo is a wind instrument . It is between four and five feet long and usually made from hollow Eucalyptus tree branches . The player blows gently into one end of the instrument while resting the other end on the ground . The length ofthe didgeridoo causes the sound to be amplified * , resulting in a loud humming noise . An experienced player can change the shape of his mouth while he is blowing and make many different sounds . Many of these sounds imitate those heard in nature , such as the calls made by an owl , a kookaburra ( an Australian bird ) or a kangaroo . Traditional didgeridoos are still made the same way they were 40 , 000 years ago . Termites , who live in the Eucalyptus trees . hollow out branches as they eat the wood . The didgeridoo-maker chooses and cuts the most suitable branches . He soaks the wood in water for a few days and then cleans out the termites with a stick or hot coals . He then peels off the bark and fills in any holes or cracks in the wood with beeswax . Finally , he attaches a mouthpiece of hardened wax or gum . The finished instrument is usually decorated with paintings , carvings * or patterns burnt into the wood . Then it is ready to play . Although the didgeridoo is an ancient instrument , originally found only in Australia , today didgeridoos can be seen all over the world . They may be heard in an Australian concert hall or on a London street corner . Many didgeridoos are still made in the traditional way with the helpof termites , but modern materials may also be used . If you want to buy a didgeridoo , you could go to Australia and buy it from an Aborigine . Alternatively , you could choose one from an Internet web site . You could learn to play it from a didgeridoo master , or you could buy a video cassette and learn that way . You could even learn through lessons on the Internet . Playing the didgeridoo may be a 40 , 000-year-old Aboriginal art , but today , this part of the ancient world is available to anyone with a computer and the Internet . * didgeridoo — also spelled "didjeridu . " * amplified — made to sound louder . * carvings — marks or designs cut into wood .
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