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Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Question 894: Forget Vuvuzelas!

The X is a wind instrument developed by Y people at least 1,500 years ago and is still in widespread usage today. It is sometimes described as a natural wooden trumpet or drone pipe. There are no reliable sources stating the X's exact age. Archaeological studies of rock art suggest that the Y people have been using it for at least 1,500 years, based on the dating of paintings on cave walls and shelters from this period. A modern X is usually cylindrical or conical, and can measure anywhere from 1 to 3 m (3 to 10 ft) long. Most are around 1.2 m (4 ft) long.

X is considered to be an onomatopoetic word of Western invention. The earliest occurrences of the word in print include a 1919 issue of Smith's Weekly where it was referred to as an "infernal didjerry". There are numerous names for this instrument among the Y people, with yirdaki one of the better known words in modern Western society.


Answer: X: Didgeridoo Y: Aborigines

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