No didgeridoo lessons for girls: Aborigines outraged over instruction book
source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7595515.stm
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- JanaPokana
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Aboriginal leaders in Australia have called for a book teaching girls how to play the didgeridoo to be banned.
The Australian version of the Daring Book for Girls is due to be published next month. However, it has upset some indigenous leaders who view the didgeridoo as a male instrument that must not be played by women. In many indigenous cultures, the hollowed out wooden pipe is viewed as a male ceremonial instrument, and women are forbidden from playing it. Some Aboriginal cultures believe even touching a didgeridoo can have terrible consequences - and even lead to infertility.
Publisher Harper Collins Australia said it was not aware of any taboos on women playing the didgeridoo, and has apologised for any offence caused. The publishing house apologised for inadvertently offending anyone, but said there was a "divergence of opinions" within Aboriginal culture on whether girls should play this ancient instrument.
One academic called the book's inclusion of didgeridoo lessons "an extreme faux pas".
The Australian version of the Daring Book for Girls is due to be published next month. However, it has upset some indigenous leaders who view the didgeridoo as a male instrument that must not be played by women. In many indigenous cultures, the hollowed out wooden pipe is viewed as a male ceremonial instrument, and women are forbidden from playing it. Some Aboriginal cultures believe even touching a didgeridoo can have terrible consequences - and even lead to infertility.
Publisher Harper Collins Australia said it was not aware of any taboos on women playing the didgeridoo, and has apologised for any offence caused. The publishing house apologised for inadvertently offending anyone, but said there was a "divergence of opinions" within Aboriginal culture on whether girls should play this ancient instrument.
One academic called the book's inclusion of didgeridoo lessons "an extreme faux pas".
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donkeyfly69
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sounds like we need a whale rider situation
- 2 years ago
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donkeyfly69
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miss_niss
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Typical Harper Collins, they've got no idea. A quick google search would inform you of that taboo, their publishers are idiots.
- 3 years ago
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miss_niss
