David and Dorothy Counts Collection on West New Britain, 1966-2006 (bulk 1966-1985) (MSS 576)

Restrictions: Original media formats are restricted; viewing/listening copies may be available for researchers.

Extent: 9 Linear feet (13 archives boxes, 1 record carton, 2 card file boxes, and one flat box), + .78 GB of digital files

Digital Content

This collection contains digital files.

Journals, research materials, photographs, sound recordings, films and digital files created by David and Dorothy Counts, a husband-and-wife ethnographic team. The collection focuses on West New Britain, Papua New Guinea, particuarly myths and oral histories.

David and Dorothy Counts both attended Southern Illinois University; David studied anthropology, and Dorothy studied political science and anthropology. From 1966 through 1967 the Counts conducted their doctoral research in the Kondoka village in West New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea. They received their doctorate degrees in 1968, and moved to Ontario, Canada. David taught as a faculty member at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and Dorothy taught at the University of Waterloo in the Department of Anthropology.

From 1975 through 1976 the Counts returned to New Britain, where they studied the Kaliai myths. In March of 1980, Dorothy published an article in The Journal of the Polynesian Society entitled "Akro and Gagandewa: A Melanesian Myth," based on her research in New Britain at the time.

In 1985 they returned to New Britain to conduct research for three months, from July 22nd through September 24th, in the village of Kandoka. Dorothy studied census cards from New Britain, as well as the cause of death for the villagers of Kandoka. She also researched domestic violence and how it affected the family structure, as well as the apparent epidemic of female suicides in New Britain, which she noted was closely linked to spousal abuse.

In 1999 Dorothy Counts took a position as a research officer and team leader for the Secretrait of the Pacific Community, which sponsored a multi-site study on the effects of violence towards women on the health and safety of the family. In December of 1999, the Counts moved to the Okanagan Valley and taught anthropology at the Okanagan University College. In 2005 the Counts became study group leaders and taught a course on Pacific Island cultures at the Society for Learning in Retirement in Okanagan.

The David and Dorothy Counts Collection reflects the Counts' ethnographic trips to West New Britain, Papua New Guinea in 1966-1967, 1975-1976 and 1985. The collection includes detailed field journals (original notepads, and later typed transcriptions) kept by both David and Dorothy Counts; drafts of their writings and research; their collection of myths and oral histories from informants; a small amount of correspondence; and hundreds of indexed color slides. Audiovisual materials include: 33 rolls of 8mm film with candid shots from the Kandoka village; 16mm film from 1975 and 1976 documenting the Kaliai myths; and dozens of tape recordings on reel and audiocassette.

Arranged in seven series: 1) JOURNALS; 2) MYTHS & ORAL TRADITIONS; 3) CORRESPONDENCE, RESEARCH & WRITINGS; 4) IMAGES, 5) SOUND RECORDINGS; 6) FILMS; and 7) DIGITAL FILES.

Container List

JOURNALS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 1) JOURNALS: Original journals, including field notes and diaries written on notepads, along with typed transcriptions edited and completed later by David and Dorothy Counts. Materials are arranged in approximate chronological order of the content, beginning in 1966 and concluding in 1985. When the creator of the journal is known, it is noted in the folder title. Notebooks have supporting material in the DIGITAL FILES series, particularly in the folder "WNB Journals."

Box 1 Folder 1
Journal indexes, 1966, 1971, 1975

Includes short undated excerpt (typescript).

Box 1 Folder 2
Journal, 1966 September 23-October 5
Box 1 Folder 3-4
Field journal transcript (David), 1966 October-1967 June
Box 1 Folder 5-6
Field journal transcript (Dorothy), 1966 October-1967 June
Box 1 Folder 7-8
Daily notebooks 1-11 (David), 1966 October-1967 June
Box 2 Folder 1-2
Daily notebooks 1-9 (Dorothy), 1966 October-1967 March, and undated
Box 2 Folder 3-5
Daily notebooks 1-10, 1971 May 16-August 6
Box 2 Folder 6
Notes and journal 1 (David), 1971 June-July
Box 2 Folder 7
Daily notebooks (David), 1975 July 27-November
Box 3 Folder 1
Daily notebooks, including stories (Dorothy), 1975 July 5 -October
Box 3 Folder 2
Journal index, 1981
Box 3 Folder 3
Daily notebooks (Dorothy), 1981 June-July
Box 3 Folder 4-5
Journal typescript, 1981
Box 3 Folder 6
Daily notebook (Dorothy), 1985 July 12-August 14
Box 3 Folder 7
Field journal transcript, 1985

Written by both David and Dorothy Counts in the summer of 1985 during their trip to the village of Kandoka in Papua New Guinea. This collaborative journal is derived from field notes from both David and Dorothy that were combined chronologically. It also contains kinship charts, scanned photographs, and an index. A digital version is available.

MYTHS & ORAL TRADITIONS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 2) MYTHS AND ORAL TRADITIONS: Materials collected by the Counts to document and translate indigenous myths and stories. The first subseries contains drafts used in the publication of the work The tales of Laupu: ol stori bilong Laupu (1982). The second subseries includes other notes, drafts and transcriptions, that may include some duplicative content. Myths and oral traditions are also strongly represented in the SOUND RECORDINGS, FILMS, and DIGITAL FILES series, which includes original recordings, and typescript drafts of translations, papers and books on the topic of myth.

Tales of Laupu (Draft Versions)

Box 4 Folder 1
Story of Gavu, as told by Jacob Mua, 1967
Box 12 Folder 9
Story of Gavu (fragments), 1967
Box 4 Folder 2
Akro and Gagandewa, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 3
Alulu: Spirits' passage, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 4
Karanga Asosonga and the men of Uligiu, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 5
Moro, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 6
Story of Pig and Frog, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 7
Story of Lizard and Man, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 8
Ignorant husband, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 9
Origin of coconuts, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 10
Akono and Silimala, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 11
Akono: The origin of the Tumbuan, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 12
Akono Tuna and Galolo, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 13
Iriao Mili and Saparesing, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 14
Brothers who married coconut women, 1966-1975
Box 12 Folder 10
Iriao Mesa and the fifty galiki, 1966-1975
Box 4 Folder 15
Katimu, 1966-1975

Other Collected Stories

Box 4 Folder 16
Kaliai short stories (various), 1966-1976
Box 12 Folder 11
Kolia traditional history, undated
Box 4 Folder 17
Gura, ca. 1967
Box 4 Folder 18
The story of Aragas, by Tuki of Danga, 1971 June
Box 4 Folder 19
Moro and Gura (Anem version), by Lukas Suksuk of Bolo, 1975 August
Box 4 Folder 20
Titikolo (Anem), by Suksuk of Bolo, 1975 August
Box 4 Folder 21
The evil birth, 1975 November
Box 5 Folder 1-2
Notebooks with stories, 1975-1976
Box 5 Folder 3
Navoio songs, 1976 February
Box 5 Folder 4
Galiki and Ruku the ghoul, 1976 February
Box 5 Folder 5
Origin of spear fighting, 1981 August
Box 5 Folder 6
Nde and Obe in Kaliai, 1981
Box 5 Folder 7
Death visions/out of body experiences, 1981
Box 5 Folder 8
Gigile and Aole, 1985
Box 5 Folder 9
Short stories from Bakove, 1985

30 short stories on topics ranging from customary marriages, children's stories, personal histories, and histories of the island.

Box 5 Folder 10
West New Britain stories, 1985
Box 5 Folder 11
Death of Bruno, ca. 1985
Box 5 Folder 12
Isumagit, undated
Box 5 Folder 13
Stories by ex-sergeant Ngaloko, undated
Box 5 Folder 14
Origin of fire, undated
Box 5 Folder 15
The young man who drank tuva, undated
Box 5 Folder 16
Ninipunga, undated
Box 12 Folder 12
Basikyan/Tuna, by Walasway, undated
Box 6 Folder 1-2
Kaliai legends, 1966-1976
Box 6 Folder 3-4
Kilenge stories, 1971-1976

CORRESPONDENCE, RESEARCH & WRITINGS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 3) CORRESPONDENCE, RESEARCH & WRITINGS: Approximately one box of correspondence relating to the Counts' professional work and visits to Papua New Guinea, arranged chronologically, followed by miscellaneous research materials and writings. This series includes paper drafts, maps of research areas, personal histories of informants, and other primary source material. The notebooks in this series contain notes on specific topics (such as language, and genealogy), as opposed to the daily accounting of events found in the journals in Series 1.

Correspondence

Box 12 Folder 1
undated
Box 12 Folder 2-8
1966-2004

Miscellaneous

Box 6 Folder 5
Area maps, 1960-2000
Box 12 Folder 13
Village maps, 1975
Box 6 Folder 6
Ngaloko: Life history, undated
Box 6 Folder 7
Personal history of Kolia, undated
Box 6 Folder 8
Personal history/Biography of Camulus Kolia, 1966 December
Box 6 Folder 9
Kaliai genealogy, 1966-1985
Box 6 Folder 10
Genealogy, 1966-1985
Box 6 Folder 11
Sorcery, 1966-1985
Box 6 Folder 12
Kandoka village census and inventory of western and traditional goods, 1966 November
Box 6 Folder 13
Miscellaneous research materials, 1967-1976
Box 12 Folder 14
Recording of a meeting, Kandoka village, between Gogola, Kandoka and Kiap (transcription), 1967 February 20

Topic is establishment of local government council in the area.

Box 7 Folder 1
Lusi language word list, 1967
Box 7 Folder 2
Kalia lectures the Bibling people - Notes, 1967 April 17
Box 7 Folder 3
Aerial photos and maps, undated
Box 7 Folder 4
Notes on adoption, undated
Box 7 Folder 5
Notes on films, undated
Box 7 Folder 6
Saparesing and Mili / English notebook, ca. 1975
Box 7 Folder 7
Counts, Dorothy. To be 'nothing but a woman' law and women's rights in Papua New Guinea (article), 1976 December
Box 7 Folder 8
Kilenge notebooks, 1976

Subjects include elicitation, food taboos.

Box 7 Folder 9
Constitution of West New Britain Provincial Government (Trinity Press), ca. 1978
Box 7 Folder 10
Gifts and reciprocity notebook, 1981
Box 7 Folder 11
Kandoka maps, 1981
Box 7 Folder 12
Counts, David. 'Water' comes to Kaliai: The institution of beer in a Northwest New Britain Society (article), 1981 September
Box 7 Folder 13
Counts, Dorothy. Reproduction, family planning and the value of children in Kaliai, West New Britain (paper), 1981

Presented at "People and Resources: Planning for the Future in West New Britain" (workshop in PNG).

Box 7 Folder 14
Kandoka feeder school, 1981
Box 7 Folder 15
Research project proposal and forms, 1985
Box 7 Folder 16
Domestic violence educational materials, 1990

Graphic poster and booklet.

Box 7 Folder 17
Counts, Dorothy. Kaliai women of power: examples from life and oral literature (paper), 2000

Prepared for session on Mythology, University of Waterloo and Okanagan University.

Box 7 Folder 18
Counts, Dorothy and David. The Roman Catholic mission and the death of youth in Kaliai (paper), ca. 2003
Box 7 Folder 19
Counts, Dorothy and David. Paga's ordeal (paper), 2004

Prepared for a Survival at Sea Conference.

Box 7 Folder 20
Curriculum vitae, 2006
Box 7 Folder 21
Counts, David - Assorted manuscripts drafts, undated

SLIDES AND PHOTOGRAPHS

1966-1967 slides

Box 8 Folder 1-20
Binder 1 - Pages 1-19, plus index, 1966-1967
Box 8 Folder 21-40
Binder 2 - Pages 20-38, plus index, 1966-1967
Box 9 Folder 1-12
Binder 3 - pages 39-49, plus index, 1966-1967

1971 slides

Box 9 Folder 13-30
Binder (unnumbered) - Pages 52-68, plus index, 1971

1975-1976 slides

Box 10 Folder 1-27
Binder 1 - Pages 69-94, plus index, 1975-1976
Box 10 Folder 28
Binder 2 - Pages 95-106, plus index, 1975-1976

West New Britain slides, prints and negatives

Box 11 Folder 1-4
Slide binder (unnumbered) - Pages 1-19, plus index, 1981
Box 11 Folder 5
Slide binder (unnumbered) - Pages 1-8, 1985
Box 11 Folder 6-8
Photographs and negatives album - Pages 1-68, plus index, 2003
Box 11 Folder 9
Photograph album, 1985

SOUND RECORDINGS

Reel-to-Reel

5" reels, 1966-1967

Box 13 Folder 1
Story: "Ninipuga" Sapanga, Mua, 1966 November 24
Box 13 Folder 2-3
Sing-sing Rabaul, 1967 July 5

Kandoka village, west New Britain. Children aged 8-18 singing "borrowed" songs from the towns, in their native language. 2 copies.

Box 13 Folder 4
Lamogai; 200 word list + sample sentences
Box 13 Folder 5
Catholic Mass, Kaliai Mission, New Britain, 1967 January 1
Box 13 Folder 6
Sing-sing recorded at Kilenge, New Britain, 1966 October 14
Box 13 Folder 7
Instruction from Kalia to the children of Kandoka following the death of Bruno from sorcery, 1967 May 28
Box 13 Folder 8
Kombei swadesh list, Gori of Kapo
Box 13 Folder 9
Kilenge language; biblical texts
Box 13 Folder 10
Local government educ. - Elias Topukur, Kandoka, 1967 July 15
Box 13 Folder 11
Attention ETU! Lizette Bilodean

7" reels, 1974

Box 12 Folder 15
Radio international - Dr. Counts
Box 12 Folder 16
Akro and Gagandewa reading of myth and conversation

5" reels, ca. 1975-1976

Box 13 Folder 12
Kandoka children; Christmas song
Box 13 Folder 13
Aplem crying
Box 13 Folder 14
Tuvura (bullroarer)

See 16mm #32-000-2000

Box 13 Folder 15
Alulu and Enieni
Box 13 Folder 16
Anêm - dictations (Sakail, Hendrik)
Box 13 Folder 17
Conversation of Dao, Kota, Totu, Suraur re: myths and ninipugas
Box 13 Folder 18
Akro and Gagandewa, part 3
Box 13 Folder 19
Taveliai ololo, 1975 August 23-24
Box 13 Folder 20
Atetegu - Anêm and Tok Pisin
Box 13 Folder 21
Dub of Kolias singing Ketiko; Solou; Palai and the man and other stories
Box 13 Folder 22
Mua - the origin of coconuts; Vohoku and the bumblebee; Popona sasi; Titikolo, and others
Box 13 Folder 23
Independence, 1975 September 16-17
Box 13 Folder 24-27
4 recordings of Kilenga/Kalian myths, 1975-1976

Extensive liner notes

Cassettes

Micro-cassettes

Box 13 Folder 28-32
Bakove 1-10 (5 cassettes)
Box 13 Folder 33
Bulwara 1-2
Box 13 Folder 34
Sapanga Biokit, story of Akivlik
Box 13 Folder 35-38
Baloko - personal history, stories, etc. (4 cassettes), ca. 1985

Includes Solivoling (gender changeling story); "the child who blew away."

Box 13 Folder 39
Kumavavo 1-2
Box 13 Folder 40
Mua 1 - origin of fire, Clement songs

Audiocassette tapes

Box 14 Folder 1
Church singing, spear fighting mua, 1981 August 30
Box 14 Folder 2
Mua /Akono's and the coconut girls, 1975 November 25
Box 14 Folder 3
Banis tambaran mua, Kapkaoo ceremony
Box 14 Folder 4
Kota: pirao, vogi+ Kalingalaga (?) kuvu Tok pisin , Kuro Tule, 1976
Box 14 Folder 5
Isumagit death vision, 1981 August 5
Box 14 Folder 6
Akono and Vohoku
Box 14 Folder 7
Tomas Nakala, Akono Sogo, Aokal, Paisile

Pelunga

Box 14 Folder 8
Anem myths-Subruk (?) of Bolo, 1975 August 3
Box 14 Folder 9
Ason Palang's death vision
Box 14 Folder 10
Land meeting - Kandoka
Box 14 Folder 11
Myths, 1975 December, 1976 January

Solou, the flying fox bros., the fifty akonos, Maria aseve, etc.

Box 14 Folder 12
Mua-ninipuna; the suicide and generous plus stingy
Box 14 Folder 13
Titikolo
Box 14 Folder 14
Bali, 1975 November 19
Box 14 Folder 15
Church services Kandoka
Box 14 Folder 16
Myths

The women who married dogs, a siassi story, a siassi song, story of god, ninipunga, etc.

Box 14 Folder 17
Stories told by man from Potne, 1976 March 14
Box 14 Folder 18
Soloum interview and song of wallaby, 1975 November 16
Box 14 Folder 19
Movie soundtrack, Akro and Gagandewa
Box 14 Folder 20
Gilau
Box 14 Folder 21-22
Mua-mamugo; Ulerin in Tok Pisin
Box 14 Folder 23
Solou-ninipuga, the vohoku's kampag, Maria - the man who went fishing
Box 14 Folder 24
Wedding bruhaha, 1981 July 25
Box 14 Folder 25
Palai and man (solou)
Box 14 Folder 26
Maria of atalu (?), 1976 December 10
Box 14 Folder 27
Children's songs
Box 14 Folder 28-29
Oskar Dao's story, with translation, 1975 November 27
Box 14 Folder 30
Ualis (?) vision
Box 14 Folder 31
Kilenge, 1976 February 23
Box 14 Folder 32
Kota - Evikalu, names, origin of fire, 1975 December 7
Box 14 Folder 33
Kilenge, 1976 February
Box 14 Folder 34
Sapaga - Kolia: Kaogo, Kaluvia, Kukulipon, 1975 November
Box 14 Folder 35-36
CBC radio international interview + Akro + Gagandewa, 1974
Box 14 Folder 37
Maoki, Maria, 1976 January 18
Box 14 Folder 38
Solua, Pelunga - the man who hunted crayfish + the ghost, 1975 November, 1976 January
Box 14 Folder 39
Kilenge stories, 1976 March
Box 14 Folder 40
Aoram #1
Box 14 Folder 41
Talania - origin of vakumo
Box 14 Folder 42
Ongaia + stories, 1976 February
Box 14 Folder 43
Katimu, Magelo + Moroka, 1975 September
Box 14 Folder 44
Pilai Gita, 1975 December
Box 14 Folder 45
Kilinge - Namor and Moro
Box 14 Folder 46
Sunday Lotu, Kandoka, 1975 November 2
Box 14 Folder 47-49
Message to folks + Aolu songs, 1967 March, June
Box 14 Folder 50
Aolu songs, bird songs
Box 14 Folder 51
Death songs
Box 14 Folder 52
Mourning for Rosina, Barku songs, Kamilus Kolia
Box 14 Folder 53
Anem myths - suksuk of Volo, 1975 August 3
Box 14 Folder 54
RF Salisbury ("the anthropologist as mediator"); Aolu songs, 1971 November 16
Box 14 Folder 55
Solou - Ninipunga, 1975 November 17
Box 14 Folder 56
Maria, Sapaga Bisket, Voro talk about rimir
Box 14 Folder 57
Church service in Kandoka, sing sing for traditional game, Lui playing juice harp
Box 14 Folder 58
Baloho on paganism
Box 14 Folder 59
Solou and Maria
Box 14 Folder 60
Sapaga + Sigi - Ninipuga, 1975 November 9
Box 14 Folder 61
Singsing: Kandoka feeder school opening
Box 14 Folder 62
Ninipuga - suksuk of Volo, 1975 August 24
Box 14 Folder 63
Murmur, 1975 November 8
Box 14 Folder 64
Bird calls

FILMS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 6) FILMS: 8mm and 16mm films from the Counts' trips to New Britain in 1975-1976 and 1985. This series is arranged into two subseries: A) 8 mm Film and B) 16 mm Film.

A) 8 mm Film: Thirty-three reels of footage shot in 1985 by the Counts. The series contains reformatted versions (archival on beta, and a VHS user copy). The footage focuses on the village of Kandoka, as well as surrounding villages in New Britain.

B)16 mm Film: Eleven reels of footage, taken during the Counts' trip in 1975 and 1976, containing information about the Kaliai myths. Dorothy Counts used this footage as part of her research for the article "Akro and Gagandewa: A Melanesian Myth," published in 1980. The series also contains archival and user video copies of the footage.

8mm Films

Box 15 Folder 1
Village of Kandoka - Archival master, Part 1 and Part 2, Betacam SP, 1985
Box 15 Folder 2
Village of Kandoka - User copy, Part 1 and Part 2, VHS, 1985
Box 16
Reels 1-34, 1985
Box 16
Reels A-E, and miscellaneous footage, 1985

16mm Films

Box 15 Folder 3
Kaliai Myth - Archives master, Betacam SP
Box 15 Folder 4
Kaliai Myth - User copy, VHS
Box 17 Folder 1
Kaliai Myth - Reel 14592, Original negative, 1975 August 12
Box 17 Folder 2
Kaliai Myth - Reel 14751, Dr. Allan Frost outtakes, 1975 August 28
Box 17 Folder 3
Kaliai Myth - Reel 14839, Outtakes reel #4, 1975 September 10
Box 17 Folder 4
Kaliai Myth - Reel 15028, Forest Research Services outtakes, 1975 October 2
Box 17 Folder 5
Kaliai Myth - Reel 15123, Original negative, 1975 October 15
Box 17 Folder 6
Kaliai Myth - Reel 7242 - Reel 1, Original negative, 1975 November 3
Box 17 Folder 7
Kaliai Myth - Reel 7242 - Reel 2, Original negative, 1975 November 3
Box 17 Folder 8
Kaliai Myth - Reel 15594, Original negative, 1975 December 16
Box 17 Folder 9
Kaliai Myth - Reel 15604, Original negative, 1975 December 16
Box 17 Folder 10
Kaliai Myth - Reel 16215, Original negative, 1976 April 9
Box 17 Folder 11
Kaliai Myth - Reel 16400, Original negative, 1976 May 18

DIGITAL FILES

Scope and Content of Series

Series 7) DIGITAL FILES: Approximately .78 GB (2,300 files) of digital content from a flash drive, with files maintained in the original directory structure in which the Counts saved them. There are six main subfolders. Click on the directory tree lists in the inventory below to peruse file titles.

Digital file 1 Folder 1
Myth
Digital file 1 Folder 2
Papers
Digital file 1 Folder 2
PNG
Digital file 1 Folder 4
WNB 2003
Digital file 1 Folder 5
WNB Jounal
Digital file 1 Folder 6
WNB stories