David Akin Audiorecordings, 1979-1997 (MSS 448)

Restrictions: Audiorecordings may not be used without written permission from David Akin.

Extent: 2.8 Linear feet (1 archives box, 12 card file boxes)

The audiorecordings of David Akin, an American anthropologist specializing in Kwaio culture of the Solomon Islands, includes cassette audio recordings, largely in the Kwaio lanuage or Pidgin English, with a typescript index. The collection also includes two annotated photocopies of Roger Keesing's Kwaio Dictionary with notes and additional words supplied by Akin.

David Wallace Akin received his Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii in 1993. His doctoral thesis, Negotiating Culture in East Kwaio, Malaita, Solomon Islands, analyzed the social life and customs in the Solomon Islands, and was based on Akin's extensive research of the Kwaio people. Much of Akin's knowledge about the Solomon Islands came from his time spent with the Kwaio, where he spent 5 years volunteering at the Kwaio Cultural Center, as well as from his correspondence with anthropologist Roger Keesing.

Akin has published numerous articles about the society and culture of the Solomon Islands, including: Local and foreign spirits in Kwaio, Solomon Islands (1996); Cash and shell money in Kwaio (1999); and Concealment, confession and innovation in Kwaio women's taboos (2003).

The David Akin Audiorecordings reflect Akin's extensive research of the Solomon Islands. The collection includes 207 audio recordings containing information about the Kwaio people; two photocopies of Roger Keesing's Kwaio Dictionary with annotations from Akin; two papers written by Akin about the Kwaio culture; and transcripts of selected cassettes from the collection.

The collection is arranged in four series: 1) WRITINGS BY AKIN; 2) KWAIO DICTIONARY; 3) TRANSCRIPTIONS OF SELECTED RECORDINGS; and 4) AUDIORECORDINGS.

Container List

WRITINGS BY AKIN

Scope and Content of Series

Series 1) WRITINGS BY AKIN: Contains two articles written by Akin in the early-1980s about cultural aspects of the Solomon Islands. This series also contains a videotape index written by Akin that was filmed in 1982 and 1983 in the Kwaio language. This videotape index contains information about scenes from the Kwaio culture, including musical performances and a ceremony. This series is arranged in alphabetical order.

Box 1 Folder 1
Akin, D. Kwaio Fou'atoleeleo (1982)
Box 1 Folder 2
Akin, D. Statement of Interest of ASAO Conference Working Session - Emerging Legal Systems in Pacific Societies , 1984
Box 1 Folder 3
Videotape Index - Kwaio, 1982-1983

KWAIO DICTIONARY

Scope and Content of Series

Series 2) KWAIO DICTIONARY: Includes two photocopies of the Kwaio Dictionary, written by Roger M. Keesing. The two copies contain notes, dated 1979 through 1983 and 1988 through 1997, written by Akin regarding Kwaio vocabulary and grammar.

Box 1 Folder 4
Kwaio Dictionary: (A - L) By R. M. Keesing. Photocopy of the dictionary annotated by David Akin, ca. 1979-1983
Box 1 Folder 5
Kwaio Dictionary: (M - Z) By R. M. Keesing. Photocopy of the dictionary annotated by David Akin, ca. 1979-1983
Box 1 Folder 6
Kwaio Dictionary: (A - L) By R. M. Keesing. Photocopy of dictionary annotated by David Akin, 1988-1989, 1995-1997
Box 1 Folder 7
Kwaio Dictionary: (M - Z) By R. M. Keesing. Photocopy of dictionary annotated by David Akin, 1988-1989, 1995-1997
Box 1 Folder 8
Kwaio Dictionary - Photocopy of words added by Akin

TRANSCRIPTIONS OF SELECTED RECORDINGS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 3) TRANSCRIPTIONS OF SELECTED RECORDINGS: Contains notes and transcriptions made by Akin from selected cassettes in the collection. The majority of these transcriptions are in the Kwaio language and contain interviews with people from the Kwaio community. The series is arranged in numerical order according to tape number.

Box 1 Folder 9
Tape 35, Saetana, Bita - The origins of shell money in Kwaio , 1982
Box 1 Folder 10
Tape 46, Ma'aanamae - Mae Suria Ogo, 1982
Box 1 Folder 11
Tape 47-48, Ma'aanamae - Mae Suria Waawane, 1982
Box 1 Folder 12
Tape 49, Basiberi - Mae Suria Surunga, 1982-1983
Box 1 Folder 13
Tape 49, Basiberi - Mae Ta'a i Asi Agea, 1982-1983
Box 1 Folder 14
Tape 49, Basiberi - Siisifonga i Suna Gasusu ma Wane, 1982
Box 1 Folder 15
Tapes 111, 113, 115-116, List of Characters in Ai'imbe told by Maenaa'adi, 1982
Box 1 Folder 16
Tape 137, Suufiomea - Ancestress La'aka, 1983
Box 1 Folder 17
Tape 137, Suufiomea - Notofanabata killing, 1983
Box 1 Folder 18
Tape 137, Suufiomea - Osibiru, 1983
Box 1 Folder 19
Tape 137, Suufiomea - Ri'omalakwa, 1983
Box 1 Folder 20
Tape 137, Suufiomea - Siisifonga i suria adalo dalafa ma fee'ota
Box 1 Folder 21
Tape 137, Suumete on Noto'i, 1983
Box 1 Folder 22
Tapes 137-281, Suufiomea - Siisfonga I suria Adalo Foulo ma Banibani, 1983
Box 1 Folder 23
Tape 206, Fifi'i, Jonathan - Norman Deck and 1931 Earthquake (1988), 1988

AUDIORECORDINGS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 4) AUDIORECORDINGS: Contains 207 audio recordings made by Akin in the 1980s and 1990s. Even though the audio recordings are numbered 1 through 308, Akin only included 207 cassette tapes with the collection. The majority of the audio recordings are in the Kwaio language. This series also contains a cassette index, which lists the titles and dates for each cassette in the collection. Arranged in numerical order according to tape number.

Restrictions Cassettes 38, 60, 70B, 148, 160, 257, 271, and 289 are restricted by the donor.

Box 1 Folder 24
Cassette Index - Tapes 1-213
Box 1 Folder 25
Cassette Index - Tapes 214-231, 1992
Box 1 Folder 26
Cassette Index - Tapes 233-308, 1995-1997
Box 2 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #2 - 23

Box 2 is missing cassettes: 1, and 3-5.

Box 3 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #24 - 49

Box 3 is missing cassettes: 25, 26, 33, 36, 37, and 45.

Box 4 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #50 - 69

Box 4 is missing cassettes: 52, 62, and 67.

Box 5 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #71 - 98

Box 5 is missing cassettes: 74, 81, 85, 87, 88, 90, 91, 96, and 97.

Box 6 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #99 - 120

Box 6 is missing cassettes: 107-109.

Box 7 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #121 - 139
Box 8 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #140 - 168

Box 8 is missing cassettes: 142, 144, 145, 149, 156, and 163-167.

Box 9 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #168B - 202

Box 9 is missing cassettes: 171-180, 182, 193, and 197-200.

Box 10 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #204 - 242

Box 10 is missing cassettes: 203, 212-218, 221-232, and 241.

Box 11 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #243 - 275

Box 11 is missing cassettes: 244, 247-252, 256, 263, 264, 267, 268A, 269, 272, and 273.

Box 12 Folder 1
Cassette tapes #276 - 308

Box 12 is missing cassettes: 277-281, 283, 284, 290-293, and 296-302.