by Elizabeth Connolly
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Visitors of Walpole Public Library (WPL) were recently regaled by Rob Thomas of the educational entertainment group “Didgeridoo Down Under,” an Australian-themed show. Blokes and sheilas (that’s boys and girls to us) were in for a real treat as Thomas led an hour-long program that included singing, dancing, a brief history and geography lesson, and interesting facts about the land down under.
The main attraction of the event was, of course, the didgeridoo. This wind instrument was created by the Aboriginal peoples of the Northern part of Australia. Though no-one seems to agree on exactly when it was developed - estimates range from 1,500 to 5,000 years ago - it is considered by many to be one of the world’s oldest instruments. The apparatus is made from a tree trunk or root, typically eucalyptus, that has been hollowed out by termites, creating a honeycomb-like inside that’s just in need of human hands to finish the job. Unlike some wind instruments, there is no reed - just a bit of beeswax is used inside. The skill comes in the form of the circular breathing that is required to successfully play the instrument. Thomas did give the audience a quick lesson in circular breathing, but it’s probably safe to say that no-one was immediately going out to start their didgeridoo group.
In addition to discussing the didgeridoo, Thomas also talked about where Australia is and the fact that their seasons are opposite to ours. Several jaws dropped when he mentioned that it was currently winter there, especially after the incredibly hot summer we’ve been experiencing! “Does that mean it’s hot at Christmastime?” one nearby child whispered incredulously to their grownup, who nodded affirmatively. Other topics that were explored included conservation, kindness, animals indigenous to Australia, such as kangaroos, koalas, and kookaburras, as well as a short education on the history of the country’s native people.
More information about “Didgeridoo Down Under” can be found on their website didgedownunder.com. This event was generously sponsored by the Harding Family in memory of Eleanor “Soosie” Harding, WPL’s first children’s librarian. Entertaining programs like this one can be found on WPL’s website, www.WalpoleLibrary.org.
