Vitality of Folk Literature in Preserving Oral Traditions and Culture: Diving into the Ethnomusicological Corner of the Deoris Residing in Assam

Dr. Atrayee Kashyap

Abstract: Folk literature is important because it preserves cultural heritage, provides insights into history and beliefs, fosters social connection, and serves as a form of education and entertainment. It's a living tradition passed down through generations, reflecting a community's values, wisdom and unique experiences. Literature has a profound impact on individual and cultural identity. Literature plays a crucial role in shaping cultural identity. Music has long been a powerful force in expressing cultural identities and traditions. Folk and traditional music, often deeply rooted in oral traditions, are central to the identities of communities and have been passed down through generations. Ethnomusicology and folk literature both explore the ways in which cultural knowledge and expression are transmitted and maintained with communities. In essence, ethnomusicology and folk literature offer complementary perspectives on understanding the rich tapestry of human culture and the ways in which communities express themselves through music and narrative. This paper mainly focuses on the vitality of folk literature in preserving the oral traditions or folk musical tradition in shaping the cultural identity of Deori community of Assam under the broader context of cultural heritage. Culture is the creative expression of a particular society through its symbols, stories, ballads, myths, literature, art, music and for some its institution. Music is one of the most important elements in the transferring of cultural heritage. Traditional forms of music are considered to be the chief carriers of cultural heritage. A tradition is a belief or behaviour passed down within a group or society with symbolic meanings or special significance with origins in the past. The folk musical tradition of the Deoris of Assam will be studied from the perspective of ethnomusicology. This falls under the area of folk performing arts in the broader context of folklore. The Deoris belong to the Sino-Tibetan family of Mongoloid stock. They are considered to be one of the communities found in Assam and some parts of Arunachal Pradesh in North- East India. The word Deori means the offspring of Gods and Goddesses. The Deori culture is facing danger from the clutches of globalization and striving hard to flourish. Such endangered culture so sprung -up by the nature thousand years past now deserve preservation and propagation by the government itself from being extinct.

Keywords: Oral Tradition, Ethnomusicology, Folk literature, Culture, Identity, Deoris