Mago David Blanasi DB45
My Comments: Most didgeridoo enthusiasts are familiar with the yidaki and its place in the culture of northeastern Arnhem Land. But fewer people have heard of the Mago. The Mago is a variant of the didgeridoo, made and used in the western parts of Arnhem Land. The length is made for accompanying songs in one of two styles: the bunggurl style of the East or kunborrk tradition of the West. The magic of this type of instrument is that it is also possible to play other styles of playing than necessarily traditional. This is due to the very good work of the air column. This gives the instrument a full and harmonically rich sound, while still retaining an organic and "termite-like" timbre. I draw your attention to the fact that these instruments are painted with ochre, natural pigments and are not varnished either inside or out. Some may have some small cracks present in the bell, but they are all playable. Keep in mind that these are "Vintages" instruments and most of them are over 40 years old!! It is a real chance to be able to obtain such instruments nowadays!
No, no, you're not dreaming! This is indeed a David Blanasi mago. This mago dates from the 1970s. Mouthpiece in blackwax sugarbag. In the 70s, David Blanasi made slightly more massive magos with a theme on each instrument, this one represents the white cockatoos, quite symbolic when you know the name of David's band, which traveled the world!! So for the future buyer, you will of course have to consider this piece of art and not play it too loudly immediately. You will have to give the mago time to regain its hygroscopicity.
David Blanasi was born in 1930 and became the undisputed master of mago. He was also a highly respected Wugularr elder and co-founder of The White Cockatoo Performing Group. David Blanasi traveled and performed worldwide for over three decades and brought mago to the national and international stage for the first time. Sadly, in 1998, David lost his long-time partner, singer Djoli Laiwonga. In August 2001, David Blanasi disappeared from his community. The circumstances of his disappearance remain a mystery...
Classification
This scale is the result of an air column/bell start ratio If we divide the diameter of the bell with that of the beginning of the air column we get a number between 1.5 and 3.5. We can classify all the didgeridoos in 4 large families. Each family groups the instruments with a similar character, simply based on the overall shape of the air column (conical/cylindrical) and on the diameter of the column (wide/narrow). The result is a simple and very reliable reading grid, making it easier to search and purchase on line.
The diameters are measured with a caliper, start of the air column after the mouthpîece. This ratio is very reliable for a didg having a air column with a 'smooth' internal work, in the case of a hollowed eucalyptus instrument it give an approach of the instrumental character.
Mago
Le Mago est une autre sorte de didgeridoo "traditionnel", fabriqué en eucalyptus et termité.
Le Mago mais quèsaco ?
Le mago est un type de didgeridoo traditionnel de l'ouest de la Terre d'Arnhem. Le mot est utilisé par les membres de différents groupes linguistiques dont le pays s'étend de la communauté Gunbalanya (Oenpelli) à l'ouest, jusqu'à la rivière Blythe à l'est de Maningrida et au sud vers Katherine.
Le mot mago est devenu un nom générique couramment utilisé pour les instruments joués dans la région. De plus, l'utilisation du mot s'étend au-delà de la région de l'ouest de la Terre d'Arnhem, car de nombreux amateurs de didgeridoo utilisent le terme pour désigner les didgeridoos traditionnels fabriqués en dehors du nord-est de la Terre d'Arnhem, c'est-à-dire tous les didgeridoos fabriqués dans le Top-End qui ne sont pas des yidaki.
Le nom mago est couramment utilisé pour identifier les instruments traditionnels de formes cylindriques et plus courts.
Les caractéristiques de ce style sont le bourdon sans aucun son de "toot" ou de trompette et l'harmonique mélodique générée par la voix humaine imposée sur le bourdon. De plus, les didgeridoos de type mago ont tendance à avoir une colonne interne ouverte qui, combinée à l'utilisation des cordes vocales du joueur, confère un caractère mélodique à son son.
Comme les autres types d'instruments traditionnel, le mago est utilisé comme accompagnement rythmique pour les chansons traditionnelles.
L'entretien: comme pour les yidakis, le mago demande un entretien préventif et régulier afin de durer toute une vie! Afin d'éviter toutes fissures et de laisser le temps au bois de récupérer un taux hygroscopique correct, nous vous conseillons de vous reporter aux pages conseils et accessoires