Welcome! Below you can read an introduction of Hollow Log Didgeridoos, learn about our values and objectives, and get to know who is behind ‘us’.
“Traditional instruments for didgeridoo players.”
Hollow Log Didgeridoos promotes traditional didgeridoos made and played across the Top End of the Northern Territory of Australia. ‘Hollow Log’ refers to the eucalyptus logs that hollowed by termites and used as traditional material for didgeridoos for hundreds of years by different Indigenous groups in the Northern part of Australia. We believe, that these naturally prepared logs are the best material to deliver the ‘original’ sound of the didgeridoo.
During the past three decades the worldwide interest for the didgeridoo created a huge industry to supply the growing market with didgeridoos designed for the contemporary demand. Unfortunately, today traditional didgeridoos make up only a few precent of the didgeridoos sold globally. To support grass-roots economy and guarantee transparency, we work with community-based art centres and businesses across Arnhem Land. Hollow Log Didgeridoos supplies quality, original and authentic instruments with real cultural values, while maintaining living connection with the traditional custodians of the didgeridoo. Beside selling instruments, education is an important part of our business so our customers become more informed and culturally competent while engaging with one of the most known phenomenons of the Australian Indigenous traditions.
Hollow Log Didgeridoos is selling didgeridoos online. The instruments are located in Yirrkala, Australia, also in London and Budapest in Europe. We offer access to quality traditional instruments for didgeridoo players and enthusiasts who are interested not only in quality didgeridoos, but also in instruments with high cultural integrity.
To read our Terms and Conditions of Sale, please click in the link.
Janos Kerekes – didgeridoo player and ambassador, cross-cultural facilitator, founder of Hollow Log Didgeridoos
“Ŋarranydja ŋäpaki gapu-wuḏappuy yäku Janos ga ŋarra mälktja Buḻany. Ga goŋdhu maraŋalanydja ŋarranha Yolŋuyu. Ga gurruparanydja ŋarranha walala mälk. Ga bulu marŋgithina walalaŋala ŋarra dhärukku romgu ga gurruṯuwu ga yiḏaki-waŋanharawu. Ga nhaltjan ŋarra yurru nhina latjukuma ŋurrikimirriyi. Dhuwala baḏak ŋarra ga marrtji ga marŋgithirri Yolŋuwu Romgu ga gakalwu. Ga dhiyaŋu bala ŋarra ga ŋaŋ’thun wiripuwurrunha ŋäpakinha mala walala yurru marŋgithirri ga malthun manymakkuma dhukarrwu ga romgu. Dhuwalanydja website-tja ga dhäruk mala guŋga’yunharamirri buku-yiḏakiwu ŋäpakiwu malaŋuwu märr walala yurru marŋgithirri yiḏakiwu romgu ga goŋ-nhirranminyarawu manymakkunharawu bukmakku Yolŋuwu. Ma’ manymak.”
Buḻany
Janos was born and raised in Hungary, this was where he first met the didgeridoo in 1999. Although in the early days he approached the didgeridoo in a contemporary way as a player, he always felt that studying the Australian Indigenous cultures is an important part learning to play the didgerioo.
During the coming years Janos was looking for the sound of the didgeridoo that represent his connection to this unique instrument. He first visited Australia in 2006, when he was working with a didgeridoo maker in Far-North Queensland. The experience of cutting and making instruments in the bush strengthened his dedication towards the termite-hollowed eucalyptus instruments. After his return back to Europe, he was working at Ethnosound Worldmusic Instrument shop in Budapest as cultural promoter and even coordinator. During this period he was actively performing as a didgeridoo player in several projects and incorporated the instrument in the Hungarian traditional and contemporary music scene. He was the co-producer, composer and artist of the Gudanjabro Didgeridoo Duo that released its debut album in 2008.
Over these years his attention gradually turned towards the traditional playing styles of the Top End of Australia. In 2009 Janos moved to Australia, where he is since studying the different traditional didgeridoos and the distinctive playing styles of the Northern Territory. He is looking for the ‘classical’ sound of the didgeridoo while learning about the traditional Indigenous knowledge and the languages of the region. He believes that this` hollowed wooden tube` has the best, the original and the proper sound on its cultural ground, it belongs there, and it carries a universal message that can speak to anyone.
In 2013 Janos kickstarted Hollow Log Didgeridoos to establish an online surface where ‘outsiders’ can learn about the traditional didgeridoo and have access to good quality instruments on a reasonable price. He feels it is important to talk about the traditional didgeridoo as a ‘balanda’, non-Aboriginal contemporary player and help others to better understand, and then value and respect the traditional culture of the instrument, as well as the People who invented it. For him, maintaining an ongoing connection with the traditional custodians, learn their ways of life, worldview and languages is an important part of his personal and professional life.
Janos has been working across Arnhem Land for over the past ten years, lived in Yirrkala in Northeast Arnhem Land for three years – currently based in New South Wales, on Wadi-Wadi land. Apart from learning on-ground and being exposed to Indigenous cultures, Janos studied Yolŋu languages at Charles Darwin University and acquired a diploma at Yolŋu Studies; currently he is studying linguistics and contemporary Indigenous life at the same institution. For the past six years, Janos has been working at ARDS Aboriginal Corporation and Yolŋu Radio as cross-cultural facilitator, involved in a range of community development and language projects, cross-cultural consultation and cultural competency training. This unique work experience gave him a particular perspective into cross-cultural engagement, that he adopted to approach the didgeridoo as a cross-cultural communication tool. While sharing information about the dideridoo, he aims to use his background, skills and toolbox to promote respectful, culturally appropriate and acceptable engagement with the instrument and its People.
Janos is available to facilitate workshops and presentations about the instrument – find the contact details here.
Hollow Log Didgeridoos would like to say thank you: Gurruwiwi family, Yolŋu Studies at Charles Darwin University, Buku-Larrŋay Mulka Centre and Jeremy Cloake, Maningrida Art Centre, iDidj Australia, ARDS Aboriginal Resources and Development Services, Lirrwi Tourism, Richard Szikoi for the website, and all of you who are supporting us on the journey.