Dyirbal Song Poetry: The Oral Literature of an Australian Rainforest People (UQP paperbacks) (English, Papuan Languages and Papuan Languages Edition)

by Robert M. W. Dixon

Description

A book presentation of 174 songs from the Dyirbal-speaking peoples of the Cairns rain forest region of north-east Queensland. This is the first time they have appeared in written form. The songs span the years between 1963, when the first songs in this book were recorded, to 1993 when the last recordings were made. Each song is given first in Dyirbal, then transcribed into English, with a commentary provided on cultural settings, the words used and the grammatical organisation of the song. show more This volume also includes a full musical transcript for 20 of the songs. Includes list of maps and illustrations, definitions, key to presentation of songs, abbreviations, orthography, and a vocabulary list. R M W Dixon has published five grammars and is currently working on the language of the Jarawara Indians. He has published 'Searching for Aboriginal Languages: Memoirs of a Field Worker'. Grace Koch is co-compiler and co-editor of the book 'Kaytetye Country: An Aboriginal history of the Barrow Creek Area'. show less