Opportunity for collection of oral literature

[Marlie Rota]

Following up from the discussions under 'Banaban Identity', I thought to post this interesting offer.

Supplemental Grants for the Collection of Oral Literature

Sponsor: Firebird Foundation

Contact Information
George N. Appell
PO Box A
Phillips ME 04996 USA
Email: [e-mail]

Field(s) of Study: oral literature, indigenous peoples, endangered languages

Eligibility Requirements: Those with a Ph.D. in anthropology, linguistics, oral literature studies or related disciplines; those in a post-graduate program in similar disciplines; or those whose life experience is equivalent. Also local organizations of indigenous peoples or individuals that are collecting oral literature of their own society are eligible.

Description
The unique oral literatures of indigenous peoples are rapidly being lost through the death of the traditional practitioners and through the schooling of the next generation. The Program for Oral Literature of the Firebird Foundation has initiated a project to fund the collection of this body of rapidly disappearing literature.

This literature may consist of ritual texts, curative chants, epic poems, musical genres, folk tales, songs, myths, legends, historical accounts, life history narratives, word games, and so on.

Supplemental funds are available to anthropologists and linguists going into the field to support a collection of oral literature.

Grants of up to $10,000 will be made to applicants for purchasing recording equipment and covering the expenses of collecting this material. Applicants are encouraged, where possible, to foster the development of local teams of collectors to continue the work of recording these materials. Transcriptions of the recordings are encouraged.

Application guidelines may be requested from the Firebird Foundation: [e-mail].

For those who are interested, please comment

Applications are accepted throughout the year.
Keywords: oral literature | indigenous peoples | endangered languages