Details

Latitude

-4.19487

Longitude

152.1835

Start Date

1993-08-03

End Date

1993-08-03

Tape#1: Musical Background and Journey of Tuluet Lepan Side A & B: Tuluet Lepan was born in 1925 and grew up to be a popular stringband musician in the villages in northern part tip outside Rabaul town. He played in his stringband locally known in the Gazelle Peninsula as "team"in the 1960s' performing in village events like weddings, fundraising called "cup tea" usually all night or 6pm to 6am and other activities upon invitation. There was not much money paid to local stringbands but these artists did it for sharing their musical talents and skills for entertainment and enjoyment with the people. Tuluet learnt playing guitar and ukelele from his uncle Elisa Tiden when he was growing up before and after the World War 1942 and developed to be a composer and performer of stringband music. He guitar style was mainly spanish key, 5 key and blue mountain (3 key). His focus was on traditional music and was not influenced by by western style of music but focused on Kuanua songs like "Kaliku", "ToMadit", "Bona Ravian" and blends of traditional songs of "Warbat", "Malira". As a performer, he also uses traditional dress and costumes like "moamong", "vinavan" the head dress "kangal", "tokatokoi". Tuluet produced some recordings and played in Radio Rabaul programs and with his experience, he taught other younger generation to learn stringband music. Conversations on performances at community events usually are organised with a number of stringbands "teams" and take turns during the course of the night. It usually becomes competitive amongs the "teams" and try to outplay each other. Elements to attracting and pulling interest of people to like and support each "team's" music is evident during these performances with magical spells or power brought in and practiced as "langoron". There is also the element of "malira" to attract ladies to be interested in the individuals performing too. Tutuet also has the observation and seen the experiences of the changing music with live power bands, style of songs composed is taking away the way stringbands had in its significance. He is unhappy with other musicians copying and re-using his composed songs without his permission but just accepts it and does not take the matter up with these artists and besides there are no copyright laws to police such things. (Steven Gagau, May 2019)

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