Buai: The Musical Identity and Knowledge System of the Gunantuna People of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
Author(s)
Title
Buai: The Musical Identity and Knowledge System of the Gunantuna People of Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
Publication Type
Language
eng
Location
Papua New Guinea
Keywords
music
dance
Tolai
Gunantuna
East New Britain
buai knowledge system
Relevance to ICH Safeguarding
Description
This thesis concerns the buai knowledge system embedded in the indigenous music of the Gunantuna (Tolai) people of PNG. Buai is a collection of creative knowledge, encompassing different genres of artistic practices relating to the formation and well-being of the people. Music is not just sound but scholarship that embodies indigenous knowledge, harnessed by the creative practices of the society. This study addresses the need to better understand this Indigenous knowledge system and the transfer of knowledge from the perspective of the knowledge holders (tenabuai) and those receiving this knowledge. The work draws upon participatory action research, integrating elements of autoethnographic research to discuss and analyze the author's position as a tenabuai and music practitioner.
Publisher
University of Goroka
Place of Publication
Goroka
Date of Publication
2018
Academic Field
ethnomusicology
anthropology
Community/Ethnic Group
Tolai
Gunantuna
Contributor
Active Contribution
Papua New Guinea, FY 2024