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GARMA FESTIVAL 4-10 Setpember 2000
Day 3 Festival stories and photos
[Day 1] [Day 2] [Day 3] [Day4] [Day 5]
Ganbulabula
Gulkula is the
home of the Yolngu ancestor from the spirit world Ganbulabula.
At the site
of the Garma festival, Ganbulabula was managing a funeral ceremony
for the Matjurr spirit people. The Damala spirit people were the
dancers at the ceremony. A decorated log coffin waited in the centre
of the ceremonial ground to receive the body of the dead.
Ganbulabula
was annoyed at the trouble making and dissention between the spirits.
The funeral ceremony was supposed to be a healing of the divisions
in the past.
As in-fighting
and confusion degenerated the ceremony into a shambles, the wise
Ganbulabula performed an extraordinary act. He picked up the log
coffin and flung it eastwards and into the sea off Nanydjaka (Cape
Arnhem).
This great feat
grabbed the attention of those around him, and caused the spirit
people to put an end to their disagreements and reunite.
At Garma 2000,
a totem of Ganbulabula takes pride of place, looking out to sea
on the edge of the clearing. The story of Ganbulabula is symbolic
to the festival. Garma is all about unity, harmony, and the fostering
of understanding.
At this festival
and at all future festivals, a decorative log coffin will be constructed
during the event and placed proudly next to the totem of Ganbulabula,
as a reminder of his actions.
 
Yidaki Masterclass
Selected students
of the yidaki (didgeridu) from around the world have gathered at
Garma 2000 to learn from yidaki master Djalu Gurruwiwi.
Djalu is renowned
for his teachings on how to play the instrument, as well as for
his ability in making the yidaki. The quality of his yidakis are
well recognised and marketed around the world. Indigenous band Yothu
Yindi continue to use the Djalu yidaki in their music.
This unique
learning opportunity has attracted international students from the
United States, Britain and Japan. "People follow the sound
of yidaki," Djalu said.
A field trip
into the bush was organised to show the process of yidaki construction.
The yidaki is made from the stringybark tree, hollowed out by the
boring of the white ant.
Djalu is an
expert in selecting the right tree. By tapping on the trunk, he
can tell if the white ant has eaten into the tree enough, rendering
it suitable to be made into a yidaki. Once he found the right tree,
Djalu chopped it down. He then cut a two-metre length of the trunk
to form the yidaki.
Djalu then removed
the soft wood waste left by the white ant and checked for any blockages
in the hollowed section of stringybark. The bark was then stripped
away and the smaller of the hollowed ends shaped and refined to
fit the mouth.
Djalu then played
the new yidaki. The strength and pitch of the music left the students
inspired and in awe of the master. It was an amazing experience
to see the 20-minute transformation of a stringybark tree into an
instrument of such power.
Later, Djalu
conducted a workshop with students on the playing of the yidaki.
Djalu said that the ability to play the yidaki is a gift. He has
been provided with that gift, but that the spirits could take that
gift from him at any time. Djalu believes it his duty to pass on
his knowledge of the yidaki.
There was a
touching moment in the workshop where Djalu invited his students
to sit before him while he played the yidaki against their backs.
It was a symbolic gesture in passing on his power and ability to
the students.
 
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