Special Ethical Considerations: Song "Ownership" and Use



  • Songs given as gifts, society restrictions, gender restrictions

  • An example: Eagle Catching songs of the Mandan (songs sung by an individual; passed on through hereditary right)

  • "Ben Benson, a reliable informant asked if anything had been "written down" concerning the custom of eagle catching and offered to record the Mandan songs, which he alone has the hereditary right to sing." (Densmore)
(1) Was Densmore remiss in recording, transcribing and/or publishing notations of these songs?
(2) Is electronic distribution of these songs unethical?
(3) In what way, if any, should users of this database restrict their use of these songs?

Our approach:
  1. inform users about ethical issues
  2. explicitly identify materials that have a special status
  3. place restrictions on MIDI performances of special status works (not fool-proof)
  4. invite public feedback and commentary