Grade 2, Unit 3, Lesson 6

Australia is as big as the United States. There are many different people in Australia and many kinds of music. Some Australian instruments are the same as in America, like guitars, orchestra instruments, and drums.

Australia’s natives, the Aboriginal people, make instruments from natural objects. such as logs, sticks, shells, and nuts.

The didgeridoo (also: didgeridu, yidaki) is a long, hollow trunk or branch. Beeswax is spread around the rim of one end. The player buzzes lips into this end to make a deep, buzzing sound. Excellent players change the sound with their breath and mouth shape.

The bullroarer is a flat piece of wood tied to a piece of string, and whirled in a circle above the head to make a low roaring sound.

The gum-leaf is a eucalyptus leaf held up to the lips and blown to make a high pitched tune.

In addition, Aboriginal people use stones, sticks, hands, and hollow logs, seed rattles, boomerangs – whatever makes a pleasing sound to accompany their singing.

Click here to listen to the bull roarer.

What can you find in your natural environment that taps, drums, rattles, scrapes, or buzzes? You can make your own instruments to accompany your singing!

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