Comedian Martha McBrier has come under attack for posing on her Edinburgh poster playing a didgeridoo. Apparently women are not supposed to play the traditional instrument.

McBrier has revealed what happened on Facebook. "I received a message via my website stating that I was being disrespectful to the culture of First Nation Australians because I am pictured in my poster playing a didgeridoo. The message was from a woman and stated 'it's a men's instrument only used by men' and 'is not played by women and has been that way forever'. I was upset but now I feel defiant. I play the didgeridoo in my show and will continue to do so. I actually feel like busking (which is a sentence I never thought I'd say). I mean no disrespect to anyone. But it's my didge and I'll blow if I want to."

According to Wikipedia "traditionally, only men play the didgeridoo during ceremonial occasions, although both men and women may dance. Female didgeridoo players do exist, but their playing takes place in an informal context and is not specifically encouraged by Aboriginal elders." A woman playing the didgeridoo in her show at the Edinburgh Fringe should surely qualify as an informal context rather than a ceremonial occasion.

Martha McBrier: Balamory Doubtfire is at Laughing Horse @ Finnegan's Wake until Aug 27. Info here.