Termitadidjes
About me...
My name is Loïc Martin, I am a spanish didjeridoo enthusiast based in Belgium.
I discovered the didjeridoo around 1996 and have been involved with it ever since. I travelled to Arnhem Land for the first time in 2005, where I did some volunteering at the Buku larrngay mulka art center in Yirrkala.
During my visits to northeast Arnhem land over the years, I have learned traditional ways of making didjeridoos or yidaki with great artists such as D***u Gurruwiwi, Larry Gurruwiwi, D*tj*rr* Wunungmurra or G*rr*r*m*w*y Munyarryun. My interest in traditional didjeridoos grew stronger, as I learned some traditional playing techniques and could also see the important connections between the instrument, the people, the art and the land. Yolŋu culture struck me with its full power and I have been involved with it since.
As a translator, I have contributed to bringing yidaki and Yolŋu culture to spanish speakers through the translation of "Didjeridoo story from far Northeast Arnhem Land" (www.yidakistory.com) by Randin Graves in collaboration with the Yolŋu of northeast Arnhem Land and I have also translated into french Why Warriors lie down and die by Richard Trudgen, a book on health and social crisis in northeast Arnhem Land.
I love yidaki and Yolŋu culture from which I try to learn a little more every day. It's such an amazing and rich culture, complex and perfectly designed to last as it has, more than 40.000 years!
I make didjeridoos out of local wood here in Belgium since 2012, often inspired by the yidaki itself, similar in dynamics and sound, but Termitadidjes didjeridoos are contemporary, suitable for all styles, but without the deep cultural value and significance that yidaki has. They are also great to play!
Feel free to contact me if you are interested in any of my instruments or traditional instruments.
My goal is to support the artists from Arnhem land and giving back to the communities by promoting yidaki and other traditional didjeridoos.
Since 2006, I have been buying yidaki from Yirrkala and more recently from other community art centers like Gapuwiyak or Maningrida.
Today the didjeridoo is widely known, played and also crafted in many ways and materials all over the world... let's not forget where the didje came from in the first place and who the traditional owners are.
I also teach didgeridoo. My approach combines traditional playing techniques and sounds as well as contemporary .
If you want to learn proper traditional playing techniques , if you have the opportunity, travel to Arnhem Land and learn with the traditional owners.
