Kurungaï

French maker of "Kurungaï" didgeridoos

Who am I?

My name is Grégory Zwingelstein and, yes, I am indeed the manager of Didgeridoo Passion. Since 2010 I have combined my passion for the didgeridoo with woodworking, to provide after-sales service for every instrument and, for example, to make custom mouthpieces. Back then I was already making a few instruments. I learned the traditional way of making yidakis from Aboriginal people in Australia, and in the past I have run many making workshops with Bruce Rogers.

All these experiences, along with the hundreds of didgeridoos from all backgrounds that have passed through my hands, have taught me how to make good use of the resources of Australian nature and get the best out of a termite-hollowed eucalyptus trunk. Most of the trunks I use are harvested in autumn, when the sap is no longer active in the trees. They are cut with the permission of the state government, then dry for at least six months before being worked.

How do I make my didgeridoos?

I want to make it clear right away that a large part of the work is done by hand! In my making philosophy, the only way to bring a didgeridoo to life is to follow by hand, with a drawknife and above all a spokeshave, the different growth layers of the eucalyptus. That is how you know when to stop and when to keep taking off shavings. It is manual work that takes a lot of time, for the inside, the outside and the finishing… I start from a trunk of 10 to 15 kg to end up with a didgeridoo of 3 to 4 kg.

For the mouthpieces, I shape a separate wooden mouthpiece for each instrument, in ash, elm, pear, walnut, boxwood or other woods, to ensure optimal comfort and above all the instrument's stability. For the inside, I use Ecopoxy resin (a high-quality bio-based epoxy resin), which keeps the instrument stable over time. For the outside finish, I apply a hard oil in several coats, for a more natural, satin look, far from the epoxy finish, which is much too glossy for my taste.

What does my logo mean?

I did not choose this logo by chance. It has several meanings, but the main one is coming together.