Melanesian Music

A few things I'm working on:

A preliminary project exploring aspects of Melanesian hymnody, in both PNG and Vanuatu (this has resulted from 4 trips to PNG since early 2008 and 4 to Vanuatu since 2008). I'll be in Vanuatu, working on the Maskelyne Islands for two weeks (from 14 March).

Tuesday March 16, Ulli Beier Building, UPNG, Port Moresby

Thomas Lulungan has written an informative article on the PNG music industry and has posted it on the CHM website. It was also published in the Rage supplement of the Feb 10 edition of the Post Courier (thanks to Don Niles for this information).

Richard Moyle has undertaken research on Takuu (Mortlock Islands) in Papua New Guinea since 1993 and has published a bilingual collection of local fables Na Kkai Takuu (2003), and a musical ethnography Songs from the Second Float (2007). His Takuu Grammar and Dictionary will be published in 2010 by Pacific Linguistics. Work continues on a monograph on the roles of music performance in Takuu religion.

(For those that attended: Denis, Don) It's been a while since the APRA-hosted-WIPO-sponsored PNG & Pacific Music Copyright Summit held from 25-26 July 2007 at the Judith Wright Centre Brisbane Australia. Two years to be exact. Glad to report some progress:

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.