About CDEL
The Center for the Documentation of Endangered Languages supports the American Indian Studies Research Institute through the preservation of unique anthropological material, archiving a broad range of Native American material including field recordings, videos and photos, educating Institute Associates in contemporary digital recording techniques and recording events including powwows, vocabulary, interviews and story-telling. We assist the broader academic community by providing access to the Center's extensive collection of Native American material, aural/video editing and recording education. The CDEL collection includes more than 2000 hours of audio and video field recordings digitally archived in accordance with Harvard/IU Sound Directions Initiative and AES standards and disseminated in accordance with tribal protocol. Interested parties should contact AISRI for information regarding access to the collection.
Current projects include:
- Digitizing and archiving approximately 600 hours of tapes from the
Alfred W. Bowers Collection. (Mandan and Hidatsa). - Preparing approximately 40,000 tokens for the Online Pawnee Dictionary.
- Digitizing and archiving 28 videotapes of various Nakoda, Hidatsa and Mandan speakers.
- Transcribing Alfred Morsette's songs into Western Notation.
A partial list of CD releases includes:
The Arikara Music Collection
- Vol. 1: Songs of Red Star and Crow Ghost sung by Alfred Morsette Sr.
- Vol. 2: Kettle Dance Songs and Pawnee Songs
- Vol. 3: Appreciation, Furlough, Kick Dance, Round Dance and Handgame Songs
- Vol. 4: Crazy Dog, Doorway and Fox Songs
- Vol. 6: Songs of the Arikara Drum sung by Keith Price
- Vol. 7: Military Honoring Songs 1 sung by Dan Howling Wolf
- Vol. 8: Military Honoring Songs 2 sung by Dan Howling Wolf
- Vol. 9:
- Vol. 10: Arikara Sounds Sung by Laidman Fox
- Vol. 11: Ceremonial Songs by George Howard
- Arikara Hymns sung by Florence White
- George Lewis Medicine Songs
- Traditional Arikara Narratives as told by Alfred Morsette Sr.
- Arikara Stories as told by Ella Waters
- Arikara Stories as told by Lillian Brave
- Stories and Songs by Mary Gillette
- Elanor Chase Narratives
