Historical PNG music/language recordings

[Don Niles]

Just released! A publication of interest to anyone concerned with Papua New
Guinea music, linguistics, anthropology, history, etc.:

Papua New Guinea (1904-1909): The Collections of Rudolf Pöch, Wilhelm
Schmidt, and Josef Winthuis.
Book, five compact discs, and one CD-ROM. Dietrich Schüller, general
editor. Don Niles, comments. Erna Mack, music transciptions. Gerda
Lechleitner, editor. Tondokumente aus dem Phonogrammarchiv der
Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften: Gesamtsausgabe der
Historischen Bestände 1899-1950 / Sound Documents from the Phonogrammarchiv
of the Austrian Academy of Sciences: The Complete Historical Collections
1899-1950, series 3. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der
Wissenschaften, 2000. (ISBN 3-7001-2920-3)

This CD collection and book contain early historical recordings of Papua
New Guinea musics and languages from the collection of the Phonogrammarchiv
in Vienna, the first sound archive in the world. The recordings by Pöch and
Winthuis were made in PNG; those by Schmidt at the archive in Vienna. Many
of these examples are the first sound recordings of music or language from
the areas concerned. Highlights include: the first recording of Tok Pisin;
performances by Ahuia Ova, a Koita man who assisted such researchers as
Haddon, Seligman, Malinowski, Williams, and Belshaw; songs performed by
Bonifaz (Tamatai) Pritak-Mawi, a boy from Karesau Island, brought to Europe.

The accompanying book (223 pp.) supplies technical information about the
recordings, discusses the pre-World War I recording of PNG music and the
collectors, includes music transcriptions and illustrations (photos, maps,
drawings), and provides English translation of all accompanying
documentation, as well as editorial annotations about the areas, languages,
and musical genres recorded. The CD-ROM contains images of the original
documentation from the Phonogrammarchiv.

To give an idea of the areas and languages included in this publication,
the collections, provinces, and languages concerned are listed below:

PÖCH 1904 (rec. in Potsdamhafen, Madang; with the assistance of Fr Franz
Vormann, SVD)
	Madang province: Monumbo, Manam Island
	East Sepik province: Wewak (Boiken?), Yuo Island (Kairiru), Mushu
Island (Kairiru/Boiken), Kaiep
	West Sepik province: Tumleo, Arop (Sissano), Malol (Sissano)
	East New Britain province: Morlon (Sulka, Tok Pisin), Kokopo (Tolai)

PÖCH 1905 (rec. in Cape Nelson, Oro)
	Oro province: Mokuru (Korafe), Korafe, Maisin, Onjob, Oian
(Arifama-Miniafia), Winiapi (Arifama-Miniafia), Okena (Yega/Notu?), Baifa
(Baruga?), Mambare River (Binandere?)
	Milne Bay province: Irewowona (Mukawa), Suau

PÖCH 1906 (rec. in Port Moresby)
	Central province: Motu, Koita, Hula (Keapara), Roro
	Oro province: Dsuruwe (Arifama-Miniafia)

SCHMIDT 1907 (rec. in Vienna)
	East Sepik province: Karesau Island (Kairiru)

WINTHUIS 1908-9 (rec. in Tavuiliu, East New Britain)
	East New Britain province: Tavuiliu (Tolai)

This limited edition can be ordered directly from the publisher for ATS
899, DEM 122, or CHF 108 [i.e., ca. USD 65]:

Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften
Austrian Academy of Sciences Press
P.O. Box 471
Postgasse 7/4
A-1011 Wien
AUSTRIA

tel.: +43-1-51581/401-406
fax: +43-1-51581/400
email: verlag at oeaw.ac.at
Internet: http://www.oeaw.ac.at/verlag

If you have specific questions about the contents, please contact me:
Don Niles
Institute of PNG Studies
P.O. Box 1432
Boroko 111
PAPUA NEW GUINEA

tel: [675] 325-4644
fax: [675] 325-0531
email: ipngs at global.net.pg