David Akin Recordings
About this collection
- Access
- Restricted View
- Collection
- Extent
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191 digital objects.
- Description
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This collection contains cassette audio recordings, largely in the Kwaio language, made by David Akin, an American anthropologist specializing in the Kwaio culture of the Solomon Islands. Most recordings were made in East Kwaio, Malaita, between 1979–1983, 1987, 1992, and 1995–1997, with additional recordings from Honiara (1987) and Honolulu, Hawai'i (1985, 1988).
From 1979-1983, Akin lived at Ngarinaasuru in Kwaio with his former wife, anthropologist Kate Gillogly. They worked with the community to establish a cultural center, a school, a women’s club, an arts project, and an archive. Many of the recordings from that period formed the initial basis for the archive at the Kwaio Cultural Centre. Gillogly was a part of many of the interviews, events, and story-telling sessions recorded, and worked to produce literacy materials from some of the recordings.
Some interviews have been omitted for confidentiality reasons, including many that Akin recorded while studying women's taboos from 1995–1996. A few recordings were made by others: Maefooru of `Ai`eda, recorded by John Laete`esafi, Batamani Maenaa`adi, and Marc and Bonnie Thompson, included with their permission. Additionally, Kwaiofo of Tofu and Betefanalamo of `Ai`eda, East Kwaio, allowed Akin to copy music they had recorded, for archival purposes.
The recordings were digitized through support by a Recordings at Risk grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The grant program is made possible by funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. - Creation Date
- 1970-1997
- Creator
- Location Of Originals
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From the David Akin Audiorecordings. MSS 448. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
- Note
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Some content in this collection may be moderated due to cultural sensitivity. Please refer to the UC San Diego Library’s Historical Context and Cultural Sensitivity Statement for more information.
- Geographics
- Topics
- Languages
- Kwaio
- Solomon Islands Pijin
- Related Resource
Online finding aid
