This series contains of 10 wax cyliders of Australian Aboriginal songs recorded during the University of Adelaide's Board for Anthropological Research (BAR, see AA 346) expeditions to The Granites (NT) and Nepabunna (SA) in 1936 and 1937 respectively.

CD and Transcription Tape Catalogue information for recordings has been provided in [ ]. For example: [Track 1. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Granites test; Record 1]

• Track 1 refers to the track number on the Access CD
• Tape No. 9579 refers to the Tape number in the Transcription Tape Catalogue
• TT20 refers to the Transcription Tape number in the Transcription Tape Catalogue
• cyl Granites test and similar information refers to the record number and cylinder number in the Transcription Tape Catalogue

Sound recordings

The Granites recordings consist of three wax cylinders containing six songs plus trials. The songs are part of a 'pulapa' or 'play about corroboree', which is an open rather than a restricted ceremony. Details of the cylinder contents (including transcriptions) are found in Fry's field notebook 'The Granites 1936 and Nepabunna 1937' (AA 105/01, pp.36-37).

The Nepabunna recordings consist of seven wax cylinders containing songs provided by Fred McKenzie and Fred Johnson. Fry made brief notes on the recordings in his field journal 'the Granites 1936 and Nepabunna 1937' (AA 105/01, pp.148-151). These notes include transcriptions and English translations. Another source of documentation for the cylinders is Charles Mountford's (see AA 228) field journal 'Expeditions to Flinders Ranges, June 1937, May 1939' (State Library of South Australia, PRG 1218). On 26 May 1937 Mountford wrote: 'Ken Fry, Frank Fenner (1914- , see AA 91) and self went across to Albert Wilton's place to try and record some songs. We still had the rotten old machine used on previous occassions. McKenzie was present and sang a number of songs for us. They were unlike anything we had heard previously, not having the usual descending scale .. The results of the recording left much to be desired. McKenzie sang well, but what with echo and scratch, only the merest fragment of several was retransmitted (?)'.

The Granites and Nepabunna recordings consist of the following wax cylinders:

Granites 6 to 27 August 1936
[CD labelled AA 105/15/1-3]

• Test Reel
  [Track 1. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Granites test; Record 1]
• Recording 1
  [Track 2. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Granites 1; Record 2]
• Recording 2
[Track 3. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Granites 2; Record 3]

Nepabunna 22 May to 3 June 1937
[CD labelled AA 105/15/4-10]

• Recording 1
  [Track 1. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Nepabunna 1; Record 4]
• Recording 2
  [Track 2. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Nepabunna 2; Record 5]
• Recording 3
  [Track 3. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Nepabunna 3; Record 6]
• Recording 4
  [Track 4. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Nepabunna 4; Record 7]
• Recording 5
  [Track 5. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Nepabunna 5; Record 8]
• Recording 6
  [Track 6. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Nepabunna 6; Record 9]
• Recording 7
  [Track 7. Tape No. 9579; TT20; cyl Nepabunna 7; Record 10]