Exploring Aboriginal Music in the Classroom
Music is a vital and vibrant part of Aboriginal culture — and a powerful way to incorporate Indigenous perspectives into classroom learning. It offers students a meaningful connection to First Nations histories, languages, and ways of understanding the world.
Traditional Instruments and Their Cultural Significance
Across the many diverse Aboriginal nations of Australia, music has long been used for ceremony, storytelling, social gatherings, and education. A wide variety of musical instruments are crafted using materials sourced from Country — each one reflecting the environment and cultural practices of its makers.
Clapsticks
Clapsticks are one of the most widely used traditional instruments. They are a type of percussive tool made by striking two sticks together or by striking one stick against another surface, such as the ground or a tree. Crafted from native timbers, they vary depending on the trees available in different regions.
Clapsticks serve multiple purposes:
Keeping rhythm during songs and dances
Accompanying vocals and other instruments (such as the didgeridoo)
Supporting storytelling and cultural education
Occasionally being used as digging tools (e.g., for yams)
Some clapsticks are simple and undecorated, while others feature intricate carvings or painted designs — depending on their maker and purpose. Traditionally, they have been used by both men and women in various cultural contexts.
Didgeridoo (Yidaki)
The didgeridoo, or yidaki (as it’s known in its place of origin, Arnhem Land), is a wind instrument that has become an iconic symbol of Aboriginal culture. However, it’s important to note that not all Aboriginal groups traditionally used the didgeridoo — its origins lie specifically in Northern Australia.
Yidakis are made from tree trunks or branches naturally hollowed by termites or fire. Their sound varies depending on their length and shape. Played using a technique involving vibrating lips and circular breathing, the didgeridoo produces deep, resonant tones and is traditionally used by men during ceremony.
While the instrument has spread across the world with many new, contemporary playing styles, the traditional method remains central to cultural practices and is treated with deep respect.
Incorporating Aboriginal Music into the Classroom
Here are a few practical ways to explore Aboriginal music in your teaching:
Provide clapsticks for students to experiment with rhythm and coordination.
Play traditional and contemporary Aboriginal music during quiet time or transitions — Tjitji Lullaby is a beautiful example, perfect for younger students.
Invite local Aboriginal musicians to run workshops or perform in class. In South East Queensland, we recommend Aunty Sharron Mirii Bell for incursions.
Discuss the origins and meanings of instruments like the yidaki, exploring where they come from and how they’re used.
By embedding Aboriginal music and instruments into your teaching, you’re not only enriching your students' learning experience — you’re also showing respect for one of the oldest living cultures on Earth, and helping preserve and celebrate its ongoing legacy.
Further Reading: https://www.monash.edu/education/teachspace/articles/the-power-of-song-sharing-first-nations-languages-through-music
PLUS be sure to check out the comprehensive list of First Nations songs carefully chosen and appropriate for school-aged children, created by the team over at The Yulang Effect.
Ready to engage with Indigenous voices and songs?
The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Songbook includes 8 original songs that celebrate language, community, and culture - containing lyrics, chords and scores.
It’s time to sing, learn, and share.
The Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Songbook includes:
8 songs with lyrics, cords, and scores
Background notes and cultural stories
Audio tracks on the website
How to use section explaining safe and respectful ways to share the songbook in your classroom.
Jessie Lloyd is an Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Songwoman and cultural historian and the founder of the award-winning work Mission Songs Project. As a cultural ambassador, Jessie continues the songlines of Aboriginal Australian people, a body of traditional songs that carry the 65,000-year history of the world’s oldest living culture.
Singing is something we all love, and it's a wonderful way to connect with, and learn about, Australia's rich Indigenous history.
The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Songbook shares stories and songs that are an introduction to a broad range of First Nations histories and cultures from her forthcoming Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Songbook. Topics covered include: language and Welcome songs; Traditional dances; Indigenous instrumentation; songs that explain the flags; Jessie's family's history of the Stolen Generations through song.
This resource is perfect for the Australian classroom.
Book size: A4