Far North Queensland Didgeridoos

Old didgeridoos from Queensland are extremely rare, and only one 19th century example is known to be in existence. Field research by ethnologist Roth indicates that the instrument was traded to the Far North Queensland area from the Gulf country sometime in the early 1800s, and that the instrument was known locally as yiki-yiki. These didgeridoos were longer than those found in other parts of Australia, typically measuring from 7 to 9 foot long. Unfortunately, no field recordings of the yiki-yiki are extant, so it is unknown whether the local playing style of Far North Queensland was overtone-present or -absent.

A 1960s ethnomusicological survey of northern Queensland reported the absence of the didgeridoo, suggesting the instrument - having been introduced there some 150 years ago - did not take take hold in the area.

The didgeridoo's revival several years later seems to have been encouraged by the state's Department of Aboriginal Affairs, which employed field officers to teach Queensland Aborigines the skills in producing arts and crafts for the market. Strangely, reproduction of Arnhem Land art was encouraged by these field officers, and it was not unusual for direct copies to be made from images appearing in books. Works produced this way were marketed through the Queensland Aboriginal Creations scheme.

Today, didgeridoos made by Aboriginal craftsmen in Queensland tend to be generic-type instruments of about 4 to 5 foot long. These are best described as CI 3 instruments in iDIDJ Australia's Cultural Indications Index.