This page explores our Hardwood Didgeridoo production process. To shop our current didgeridoo inventory, visit the “Available Products” page.
In Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia didgeridoo craftspersons are fortunate to enlist the help of an endemic termite species to hollow the core of Eucalyptus trunks while the trees still stand in the ground. Given that in Texas we do not receive any such help, we borrowed a recently developed and continually evolving production process from other didgeridoo makers across the country – and around the globe – to create our instruments. We believe that this process consistently produces high end instruments with sonic attributes that truly set our didgeridoos apart. Explore the photo gallery below to learn more about how we produce our hardwood didgeridoos:
To ensure that the character of our didgeridoos most closely replicates the iconic sounds of Yolngu Aboriginal yidaki that inspire us, we work with Texas hardwoods whose densities approach those of the Eucalyptus species found in Arnhemland. We prefer the following local Texas hardwoods:
- Texas Mulberry (Morus microphylla)
- Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera)
- Honey Mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa)
- Texas Red Oak (Quercus texana)
- Live Oak (Quercus fusiformis)
- Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)
- Cedar Elm (Ulmus crassifolia)
- Ashe Juniper (Juniperus ashei)
We source the hardwood timber we use to create our instruments from the diverse landscapes and climatic zones of Texas: riverine forests of the Hill Country, groves and motts pocketed across the Blackland Prairies, and from the thorn-crowned brush country of South Texas. Dedicated to principals that uphold the value of natural sanctity, we do not actively source our timber from living trees. We visit properties across Texas — following violent storms and high winds — to collect fallen trunks and downed limbs. We also accept timber from property owners who remove trees that would otherwise be discarded or burned. At Austin Aboriginal Instruments we take pride serving in our roll as cultural innovators and land stewards for communities of today and for those of future generations.
Though our finishes are impact and blemish resistant, we encourage our clients to follow our suggestions for protecting and maintaining your didgeridoo. To learn more about didgeridoo production, please visit our Resources page and explore our Blog articles.