Gita Gisalo (PNG Country Music)

From Feld (Sound and Sentiment and Bosavi: Rainforest Music from

Papua New Guinea).

Bosavi encounters

• Australian government in region 1958• Asia Pacific Christian Mission 1964• Papua New Guinea independence 1975

Airstrip and cassette recorders

• mid 1980s, coinciding with oil exploration in region, logging and other development projects

Gita Gisalo

• Kemuli, Difalasulu. BVDC, Tasi Kabulo:, Gusuwa string bands

String bands

• First ukelele in Bosavi region, 1977• Gusuwa (Cassowary) string band (1998-9). Oska, Mama,

Ho:nowo, Wano, Max, Gigiyo Sele

Two songs by Kemuli string band

1. My father, my heart

my father, where has he gone?

crying ya:- my father is not coming

when afternoon is passing

when the sun is going down

it sounds like my father is calling out

in the afternoon I listen secretly

but there is no talk going on

crying ya:- my father is gone for good

• My mother, how you always walked

my mother, how you always talked

after evening falls, after I’ve thought about it,

I can only cry

my mother, where have you gone?

my mother, why did you die?

oh no! My mother is dead

(Rebeka; lines from sa:yelab)