Details

Latitude

-4.223035

Longitude

152.1855

Start Date

1993-08-13

End Date

1993-08-13

Tape#1: Musical Journey and Stories of Ephraim Tami Junior. Side A&B: Aida Tami the wife of Ephraim Tami Junior tells stories of her late husband who was the son of the indigenous musical icon and pioneer of choral movements in Rabaul and Gazelle Peninsula in the 1940s and 1950s. Ephraim Tami Jnr passed away in 1992 and Aida shares his musical experiences and journey with choirs and stringband music. Ephraim was a self taught musician who also had other artistic skills like framed oil paintings, billboard advertisement, signboards, vehicle spray-painted signs. He was trained carpenter and builder. He worked in various parts of the country with various employers and and was an active sportsman of basketball, softball, rugby league. He returned to his home at Matupit Islands from 1970s'. Ephraim composed his own songs in Kuanua, Tok Pisin and English about life experiences, village and community life relationships, nature and environment and general storytelling. He lead his stringband Eagle Voice and recorded albums which have been popular songs played in radio broadcast programs. He played the steel guitar and the style of music ranged from 5 key to Hawaiian and South Pacific style music. His stringband, Eagle Voice competed in Tolai Warwagira festivals in the 1970s' and won first place awards with an example of a particular notable song from Fiji :Sulu, Sulu" and other origional composed Kuanua songs like :Papara tava alir". Ephraim later got discouraged and was not further interested in musical performances when people began using his songs without permission even recording and playing on radio. He left Eagle Voice and his band members continued on with new stringband Eagle Mix. Ephraim Junior's musical legacy remain with his father, Ephraim Senior as choral musician and he himself as guitar and stringband musician. (Steven Gagau, February 2020)

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