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Authentic Didgeridoo's are made from Eucalyptus trees hollowed out by termites.
Most ceremonies practised in Aboriginal communities cannot be discussed fully due to their sensitive and sacred nature. When discussing specific ceremonies it is important to have a local Aboriginal person present.
For 40 000 years this area has been a traditional "meeting place" for the trading of Aboriginal artifacts, knowledge, Aboriginal art and Aboriginal culture.
How Didgeridoos are created naturally.
The Termites
Termites are primitive insects which form the order of Isoptera, and although often mistakenly referred to as "white ants" which are in fact no relation. They are in fact relatives of the cockroach. Whilst some build underground, other construct large mounds in the open or eat timber. In each mound, there is a queen who can produce 30 000 eggs a day. Besides tree termites nowadays also eat away from the inside, buildings, fences. In the Northern of Australia, the termites best known to live in and eating out the centre of living trees is the Coptotermes acinaciformes who then fills the hollow with waste matter.
Timbers
Wooden didjeridoos are varieties form 'piped ' eucalyptus branches ('suppressed stems'). 'Termites nest in these malformed branches, eating the wood from the inside outwards. The species most often selected for didjeridu tubes in coastal regions of Arnhem Land (fig I, area 'N') include stringy bark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta) and woolybutt (E. miniata). The River Red gum (E.camaldulensis) is chosen by north Australian didjeridu players at places nearer to Katherine and further south. A didjeridoo at Maningrida was made form a palm, probably Livistona humilis (Moyle1974:7, note z).
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Other links:
http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/links/abor.cfm
