Weissenberger. EKO3 2015 1 Traditional Musics and Ethical

Weissenberger. EKO3 2015
1
Traditional Musics and Ethical Considerations of Knowledge and Documentation Processes
Lynnsey K. Weissenberger, Doctoral Candidate, School of Information, College of Communication and
Information/ Adjuct Asst. Prof. of Music (Director, Irish Music Ensemble), College of Music Florida
State University [email protected]
Abstract:
This paper describes ethical considerations for organizing indigenous music knowledge,
namely: knowledge representations and documentation formats that are outside what might be
considered “typical,” such as oral knowledge, memory, and metaphorical descriptions and storytelling;
issues of trust between practitioners and outsiders related to sensitive or more secretive information, as
well as the ability to publicly attribute musical knowledge or works to an individual; and finally, issues
related to expectations of knowledge attributes and how these can be problematic if trying to use a
conceptual model such as FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records), for example.
Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) is a conceptual model of the
bibliographic universe, including “anything a library might wish to collect or make accessible to its
users” (Tillett, 2005a, p. 197). Within the FRBR framework, there are Works, Expressions,
Manifestations, and Items (Tillett, 2005b). As the FRBR model relies upon physicality or materiality of
objects (at certain levels) and defined relationships between people and objects, as well as between
objects, it is limited in how well it can serve musics that do not fit these expectations.
Two aspects of the FRBR model that prove problematic for accommodating traditional musics
are the ideas of relationship(s) and authorship. Examples drawn from the author's knowledge of Irish
traditional music, particularly the ongoing musical-informational relationship between a master Irish
musician and the author, will help illustrate the problematic nature of authorship/composer and other
relationships. Ethical considerations are embedded in the notion of authorship/composer, in how to
accurately describe relationships between “works,” and even titles, geographic relationships, and
significant musicians related to the work who are not necessarily performers of the work.
This paper draws from a variety of theoretical viewpoints, including Turner's (2007; 2010) work
surrounding oral information and the writings of early documentalists Briet and Otlet, to argue for and
describe these alternative musical “documents.” Examples of alternative types of documents and
knowledge representations from the Irish music tradition and other world music traditions challenge the
assumptions built into these terms. Creating strategies and approaches to better understand and
Weissenberger. EKO3 2015
2
organize these alternative documents, while incorporating them within existing knowledge frameworks,
are potential challenges for the knowledge organization field.
Oral transmission from master to apprentice creates a knowledge sharing relationship that
provides philosophical and cultural contexts for practices and techniques that are more difficult (if not
impossible) to learn in other ways. Often, information shared from master to apprentice is given with
implicit or explicit expectations of privacy. In the case of the author's apprenticeship with a renowned
Irish fiddler, the documents were the metaphor-laced explanations of musical approach and
philosophies, as well as stories about the music and musicians that often came with the expectation that
they would be kept secret. At the minimum, it was discouraged that these insights would be freely
given to those who have not earned the privilege of hearing them; often because it would require a level
of knowledge to understand and translate these concepts.
These expectations of secrecy or privacy with knowledge-building practices may prevent
formal representation and formal documentation of indigenous knowledge. From keeping the true
composer of an Irish tune secret to pass it off as “traditional,” to the dilemma of whether to reveal
secrets of Mbira music given in confidence, ethical issues over who has ownership rights to such
knowledge and who has the right to document it are persisting issues that deserve further consideration.
Solutions to these issues begin with understanding the types of problems associated with
knowledge and documentation processes of traditional musics. Alternate types of “documented”
knowledge may be difficult to include within representation structures, just as secrecy and privacy
considerations between music practitioners can make attributions, relationships, or other information
difficult to verify. It is hoped the knowledge organization community will consider how these ethical
challenges might be accommodated within existing and future frameworks.
References:
Briet, S. (2006). What is documentation?: English translation of the classic french text. Lanham:
Scarecrow Press.
Otlet, P. (1990). International organisation and dissemination of knowledge: selected essays of Paul
Otlet. (W. B. Rayward, Trans.). Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier for the International
Federation of Documentation.
Tillett, B.B. (2005a), “FRBR and cataloging for the future”, Cataloging & Classification Quarterly,
Vol. 39 No. 3-4, pp. 197-205.
Weissenberger. EKO3 2015
3
Tillett, B.B. (2005b), “What is FRBR? A conceptual model for the bibliographic universe”, The
Australian Library Journal, Vol. 54 No. 1, pp. 24-30.
Turner, D. (2007). Conceptualizing oral documents. Information Research – An International
Electronic Journal, 12(4). Available at: http://www.informationr.net/ir/12-4/colis/colis32.html
Turner, D. (2010). Orally-based information. Journal of Documentation, 66(3), 370-383.