Memory of the World; 2012 - unesdoc - Unesco

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Historic ethnographic
recordings (1898–1951)
at the British Library
Inscribed 2011
What is it
The British Library’s Historic Ethnographic Recordings
collection, comprising field recordings made by linguists
and musicologists of orally transmitted cultures from
around the world.
Why was it inscribed
The recordings capture the fruits of a period of true
linguistic and cultural diversity, from before the more
homogeneous global society of today. Done in the field,
the recordings are pure and uninterpreted and capture
unique regional languages and music, many of which
are either under threat or are extinct. The recordings are
the work of scholars who were at the forefront of their
respective fields.
Where is it
British Library, London, UK
The British Library Historic Ethnographic Recordings
collection is one of the largest of its kind in the world.
Wax cylinders, which could be both recorded and played
on a phonograph, are the commonest medium. Most
of the recordings date from the early period of recording
technology, before radio or any other broadcast medium
could adulterate regional culture and experience.
Consequently, the material in the collection is
truly irreplaceable.
All the items in the collection are unique examples
of the language, music and other cultural practices of
their respective areas. In many instances the recordings
capture languages and practices that have since changed
fundamentally or have disappeared completely. They were
often also the first recordings ever made of particular
groups and cultures: for example, those from the
Cambridge 1898 expedition to the Torres Strait Islands
between Australia and Papua New Guinea, were the
first British-made ethnographic recordings anywhere
and also the first recordings to be made in the islands.
404 Historic ethnographic recordings (1898–1951) at the British Library
Similarly, recordings made in Uganda in 1901 were the
first undertaken in sub-Saharan Africa.
In addition to its linguistic and musical riches, the
recordings illustrate a hitherto undocumented complexity of
expression and belief among the people and communities;
this is particularly the case in non-literate cultures.
Many of the places, people and cultures featured in the
collection were, and still are, under-represented in an
international context.
The recordings have proved valuable not just
to researchers but also to the present-day descendants
of those recorded. This was proved in a legal case over
disputed territory successfully brought by a Torres Strait
islander against the Australian government: the recordings
in the collection provided key evidence in the case.
Sound recording became a central tool in studying
social anthropology and ethnography, and the collection
marks its emergence. Sir James Frazer, acknowledged
as a founding figure in the field of social anthropology,
gathered together a large number of the recordings.
Frazer was the author of the fifteen-volume work of social
anthropology, The Golden Bough.
Taken as a whole, the collection represents not just its
subjects but also the research interests of its collectors, so
forming a spoken and aural representation of the British
empire during this time period.