Melanesian Music

by Don Niles

Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies

Phillip Lamasisi Yayii was an extraordinarily talented musician and music researcher. Many of us are still in shock after hearing of his death in Vienna at the age of 55. This short article attempts to honour some of his many accomplishments.

Phillip was born in Paruai village, in the Kara-speaking area of New Ireland, on 24 November 1953. He completed primary school education in his village from 1961 to 1965, and then attended Utu High School until 1969.

The new CD 'Ae Tinil Wen Lir: Music of Lihir' - the first CD of music from the Lihir island group, which Kirsty Gillespie recorded, researched and produced in collaboration with the Lihirian Cultural Heritage Committee - was launched in March 2009 on Lihir. The following month it received coverage in a number of newspapers, including The National: http://www.thenational.com.pg/042809/wkender3.php.

The CD is part of a wider project to support Lihirian cultural heritage. See http://www.csrm.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=106698&pid=0.

The new CD 'Ae Tinil Wen Lir: Music of Lihir' - the first CD of music from the Lihir island group, which Kirsty Gillespie recorded, researched and produced in collaboration with the Lihirian Cultural Heritage Committee - was launched in March 2009 on Lihir. The following month it received coverage in a number of newspapers, including The National: http://www.thenational.com.pg/042809/wkender3.php.

The CD is part of a wider project to support Lihirian cultural heritage. See http://www.csrm.uq.edu.au/index.html?page=106698&pid=0.

Just heard via a post from David Bridie on Facebook that Glen Low passed away on Saturday night due to complications from diabetes and renal failure. As a founding member of Barike, and a crucial player throughout the history of PNG popular music, this is awful news.

Just returned from fieldwork in Honiara and found that music is ever changing in the capital of Solomon Islands.
There are currently a wide range of artists, some more unique than others, and the music scene is expanding every month.

Story in The National about some musicians in June Vallley struggling to get a demo accepted.

http://www.thenational.com.pg/010909/wkender4.php

The National have an article that counters claims from recent stories about Oshen's departure. Article
here

From the Post Courier, 12 December 2008 [unable to link directly to the story because of the way the Post Courier site works - or doesn't work sigh]

Oshen's pact with CHM ends

THE contract of Papua New Guinea's local and international music icon, Oshen with CHM Supersound has been terminated. He will
be recording his latest album outside the country.
OShen, whose real name is Jason Hershey, came to PNG with his parents in 1970s, grew up and had educated in the country but now
lives in Hawaii.
He signed the contract with CHM when he started doing his recordings while in PNG.

I was in Lae when the International Music Festival took place in August 2007. For me personally, PNG was finally taking the right path in promoting its music and the world’s music to its people and to the world.
This was not some one-night bash at a night club where adults convoy in to dance in drunken stupor with no genuine appreciation of the talents and music being performed.

In Melbourne at the end of November there will be an expo for "world music" -
http://www.awme.com.au/

I've always been interested in the disparity between "world music" and lokal musik in Melanesia. Another way of putting this might be the difference between what people in Australia want to listen to in terms of music from the region, and what most Melanesians actually listen to. Perhaps this expo is a forum to explore that. I know Placid Walekwate Jr from the Solomon Islands Music Federation is going, and hope other musicians from the region attend.