John Whitehorn: Paiwan Collection
The World Oral Literature Project is pleased to host its first online collection of heritage recordings, deposited by John Whitehorn. This collection is based on Reverend Whitehorn's work with the Paiwan-speaking communities of Taiwan in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Project staff provided assistance by digitising legacy audio tapes in order to provide basic metadata for each recording. Details of the full collection can be browsed on DSpace@Cambridge by clicking here.
Paiwan is an Austronesian language spoken in the mountains of Taiwan's southern tip. Most of the younger generation now no longer speak Paiwan, having received their education in Mandarin Chinese. Whitehorn's collection includes recordings made in Pingtung, a city near to many northwest Paiwan villages. Other recordings include commercially produced songs in Paiwan as well as in other languages of Taiwan: Bunun (central mountains), Amis (east) and Atayal (north).
Collection Details:
Collection: Paiwan Materials
Collector: John Whitehorn
Date(s): 1954, 1967, 1968, 1970
Language(s): Paiwan, Bunun, Amis, Atayal
1. Songs
A commercial recording of a female and possibly two males, probably accompanied by a banjo. They sing in a Paiwan dialect of northwest Pingtung. The recording was made in Masilid village.
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2. Eight chants from Taiwan with English commentaries
A recording of songs from 1954, broadcast on the BBC in February 1993. Songs 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 are in Bunan (a language spoken in the central Taiwan mountains). Songs 4 and 8 are in Amis (a language from eastern Taiwan), while Song 7 is in Atayal (a language from northern Taiwan).
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3. Farewell Address to John Whitehorn
A farewell message from a female speaking a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan. Recorded in the summer of 1954.
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4. Farewell Address to John Whitehorn
A farewell message from a female speaking a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan. Recorded in the summer of 1954.
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5. Song
A recording of a song, sung by a group of females in the summer of 1954. The recording is in Paiwan, spoken in Pingtung, Taiwan.
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6. Farewell Address to John Whitehorn
A farewell message from a female speaking a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan. Recorded in the summer of 1954.
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7. Song
A recording of a song from the summer of 1954 in the Paiwan dialect from the Pingtung region of Taiwan.
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8. Farewell Address to John Whitehorn
A farewell message from a female speaking a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan. Recorded in the summer of 1954.
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9. Farewell Address to John Whitehorn
A farewell message from a female speaking a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan. Recorded in the summer of 1954.
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10. Farewell Address to John Whitehorn
A farewell message from a female speaking a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan. Recorded in the summer of 1954.
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11. Chanted Story
A recording of a chanted story narrated by a female in the summer of 1954. The recording is in a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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12. Songs
A commercial recording of one female and possibly two males singing, thought to be accompanied by a banjo. They are singing in a north-west Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan. This was recorded in Masilid village.
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13. God be with you till we meet again
A Christian song, sung in a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan. Recorded in the summer of 1954.
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14. Farewell Address to John Whitehorn
A farewell message from a female speaking a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan. Recorded in the summer of 1954.
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15. Song
A recording of a male singing a song in a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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16. Harvest Prospects
A recording of a story (conversation) told by a female in the summer of 1954. The recording is in a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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17. The Drunkard
A recording of a drunkard attempting to excuse himself. This is a recording made in the summer of 1954 of a male telling a story in a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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18. Paiwan Words
Lists of Paiwan words, chosen to illustrate the pronunciation of letters, diphthongs etc. The recording is of Rapi, a female speaking in a south Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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19. Paiwan Words
Lists of Paiwan words, chosen to illustrate the pronunciation of letters, diphthongs etc. Recorded in the summer of 1954 a male lists words in a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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20. Farewell Address to John Whitehorn
A recording of a farewell message to John Whitehorn, recorded in the summer of 1954. The message is from a female speaking in Paiwan a dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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21. Farewell Address to John Whitehorn
A recording of a farewell message to John Whitehorn. The recording made in the summer of 1954 is a male speaking in a northwest Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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22. Wedding Discussion
Discussion about Bride-price to be paid by ordinary family to chiefly family. The recording made in the summer of 1954 is of a male speaking in a northwest Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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23. Christian prayer
A recording of a Christian prayer, recorded in the summer of 1954 by a male speaking in a northwest Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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24. Hymn All people that on earth do dwell
A recording of a Christian hymn made in the summer of 1954. The recording is in a Paiwan dialect of Pingtung, Taiwan.
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25. Christian prayer
Recording of a Christian prayer. Recorded in the summer of 1954 in a northwest Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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26. The Parable of the Good Samaritan
A recording of a Christian address of 'The Parable of the Good Samaritan. The recording is of Pari, c.26 male, Valoro. He speaks in a northwest Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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27. Hymn Fight the good fight
Recording of the Christian hymn Fight the good fight. This recording was made in the summer of 1954 in a Paiwan dialect from Pingtung, Taiwan.
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28. Farewell Address to John Whitehorn
A farewell address to John Whitehorn made by Rapi a female c.26 in the summer of 1954. This recoding is in a southern Paiwan dialect of Pingtung, Taiwan.
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29. Christian prayer
A recording of a Christian prayer in the northwest dialect of Paiwan, from the Pingtung region of Taiwan. This recording made in the summer of 1954 features a male performer.
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30. What a friend we have in Jesus
Recording of the hymn 'What a friend we have in Jesus' in the north-west Paiwan dialect of Pingtung, Taiwan. Recorded in the summer of 1954.
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31. Address to Christians in Britain
Address to Christians in Britain made by Pari, c.26, Male Valoro in 1954. The recording is in a northwest dialect of Paiwan, spoken in Pingtung, Taiwan.
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32. Story
This file contains a story told by a female in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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33. Conversation
A conversation between a man and a woman in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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34. Story of an Orphaned Family
A man introduces the story teller as Kerker, 83, mother of Revd. Mao tungnan. She then proceeds to chant the story of four orphaned children in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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35. Story, Prayer and Christian Song
A story told in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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36. Story, Prayer and Christian Song
A woman reciting a prayer in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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37. Story, Prayer and Christian Song
The Dinlepan Choir perform a Christian song in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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38. Paiwan Words
Some oddments spoken in northwest Paiwan.
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39. Christian Songs
A female sings a Christian song in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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40. Christian Songs
A female sings a Christian song in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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41. Christian Songs
A female sings a Christian song in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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42. Song
A song performed by a man in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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43. Story
A man recites a story in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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44. Words and Song
This file contains a story told by a female in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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45. Words and Phrases
Lists of words and phrases chosen to illustrate Paiwan phonetics spoken in the northwest dialect of Paiwan.
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46. Words and Phrases
Lists of words and phrases chosen to demonstrate Paiwan phonetics.
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47. Story
A story, chanted and spoken, in the northwest Piawan dialect.
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48. Story
A woman tells a story in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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49. Story
A story, part chanted, in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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50. Story with Christian Testimony
A story that is both chanted and spoken, in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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51. Old Stories and Customs of Weddings
A woman describes old traditions and customs in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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52. Christian Statement and Chant
A woman performs a Christian chant in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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53. Christian Statement and Chant
A Christian statement made by a woman in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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54. Harmonium
A short piece of music.
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55. Story
Starting with a few oddments both in German and northwest Paiwan, a woman tells a story.
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56. Story
With a bit of a false start a woman tells a story in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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57. Words and Hymn in Chinese and Paiwan
A speech in Chinese.
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58. Words and Hymn in Chinese and Paiwan
Male sings 'O Father God' in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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59. Words and Hymn in Chinese and Paiwan
A speech in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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60. Sermon
A sermon about Herod's birthday and the feeding of the 5,000 in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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61. Prayer
A prayer given in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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62. Talk
A talk given in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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63. Hymn
A hymn 'God be with you until we meet again' in the northwest Paiwan dialect.
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64. An English Story
A short story about the funding of education for Chinese girls read by an English child.
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65. A Speech and Hymn
A speech about the interviewees conversion to Christianity followed by the hymn 'Nakuya ku varung' ('My Heart was Evil').
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66. Speech and Songs
A man speaks and then sings in his northwest Paiwan dialect.
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67. Speech and Songs
A man speaks and then sings in his northwest Paiwan dialect.
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68. Speech and Songs
A speech and song performed by a girl, in northwest Paiwan dialect.
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69. Christian Songs
A female singing a Christian song in the northwest Piawan dialect.
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70. Image of John Whitehorn
Mr Whitehorn and Paiwans looking at Paiwan hymnbook.
[Archive]
71. He Led Them On
Scan of He Led Them On. The story of the Christian movement among the Paiwan tribe of Formosa.
[Archive]
72. Christian Statement and Chant
Refers to a repeat of the statement and chant found on tape 2010.7_01a_1 and _2.
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