Details

Latitude

-4.22038

Longitude

147.661

Start Date

1993-08-16

End Date

1993-08-16

Tape# 1, Music Background and Journey of Chris Mandawali. Side A&B Chris Mandawali was born in 1964 in Maramba, East Sepik Province and grew up and lives in Wewak Town. He attended Brandi High School up to Grade 7 and did not continue his education due to difficulty paying school fees. He started learning guitar when in primary school at Grade 3. His father also knew playing the guitar with 5 Key style. His exposure to music was from listening to radio broadcasts in western pop and country style songs and encouraged him getting into performing and composing songs. Chris joined the Raun Isi Theatre Company in Wewak with a paid job forthnightly up to K80 who were performing arts, drama and acting and a band in various events and tours locally, Madang and Lae. His interest in live bands and become a musician playing with bands like Thumbs Band then having his own band. Chris started recording his own songs with NBC Wewak Studios then to PGS Studios, Rabaul recording his albums in the 1980s' such as "Sore perendo". His music with a Sepik style became popular around PNG and had had success from his cassette sales with royalties paid up K15,000. Some of his songs have been used or reproduced by other bands but due to no copyright laws they have benefitted from his music and compositions. Chris later became sick due to malaria and affected him mentally and did not continue recording at PGS Studios have a 5-year contract. After recovery he continued till the time of this interview. There were general conversations on the types, styles and issues by people who follow music of songs in PNG and overseas. The music that PNG people were exposed to were composed with beats specific to the areas such as Sepik and other Mainland regions to the Islands through composition of song or reproducing traditional "tumbuna" music. The covers of western music was what was popular with artists with examples given of Fleetwood Mac, Bryan Adams , Jimmy Barns and so on. Chris style of beats follows Sepik traditional music singing with instruments of kundu drums, bamboo flutes and combined through songs that have a flavour of modern disco music that fans and audiences can enjoy dancing of listening to in live performances. Songs composed are generally about life, nature and stories that relates to everyday people and living and some about relationships. The fan base is around PNG and has performed in tours and shows/festivals. In Port Moresby Show and fundraising events he played with bands from PNG Arts School, Bluff Inn Souls and same with other centres with local bands so he travels alone. Chris is a lead guitarist and lead vocalist. (Steven Gagau, March 2019)

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