Arts and Culture Features

The Isle of Wight may be 10,000 miles from Australia, but the sounds of the outback will be echoing around in August as the Island's first didgeridoo music festival takes place at The Water Mill, Calbourne.

Didgeridoo playing

Among the line-up is aboriginal dancer/singer Jermaine Herbohn from the Tjapukai Cultural Park in Australia. 

However as didgeridoo music's popularity has spread far from Australian shores, other performers from around the world including Czech Republic techno 'didge' band KusKusKlan will also be visiting the festival.

The event has been organised by Gerry Priddle from Freshwater who freely admits to being "infatuated with the didg" - his Didgheadradio web stream regularly attracts 14,000 listeners around the world.

He told BBC Radio Solent: "Didgeridoo music is like Marmite - people either love it or hate it! Most people who love it say they first heard it played by a busker in a street and it made the hairs on the back of their neck stand up - they just love the sound of the didg!"

The original instruments were made for ceremonial purposes out of eucalyptus branches which had been hollowed out by ants, however didgeridoos can be effectively made out of any tube.

Although the didgeridoo is the featured instrument of the festival there is a wide range of world-music on offer including players of instruments as diverse as the Swiss Hang, Japanese Fujara, Thai Khene, North African Birembou with a range of jaw harp and throat/overtone singers.

Island samba and djembe bands will also be appearing along with the Kagamusha Taiko Festival performing troupe. There'll also be workshops in Didgeredoo making and playing.