The song tradition of the Barga people holds an important place in Mongolian musical heritage. This article examines the musical characteristics of Barga folk songs, their linguistic and melodic features, socio-cultural functions, and main thematic classifications, highlighting their role in shaping ethnic customs and worldview. Barga folk songs are generally classified into two main musical forms: long songs (urtiin duu) and short songs (bogino duu). Barga long songs are distinguished by expansive spatial imagery, broad breath organization, and a wide melodic range, while short songs are more practical in use, with clear rhythmic structures closely tied to daily life. Furthermore, various thematic categories-such as praise songs, homesickness songs, love songs, wedding songs, military songs, and lullabies-express the deep cultural layers of Barga society. This study provides a systematic analysis of these songs from both musical structural and thematic-content perspectives to elucidate their significance within the broader framework of ethnic cultural heritage. The findings suggest that Barga folk songs constitute a unique and invaluable component of Mongolian ethnomusicology, serving as critical primary material for future scholarly research.

Background: Sintren is a traditional ritual performance originating from the northern coastal region of Java, particularly in the Cirebon area, combining elements of dance, music, and spiritual belief. The traditional songs performed during the sintren ritual contain linguistic expressions that often carry metaphorical meanings reflecting the sociocultural, historical, and spiritual values of the Cirebon community. Objective: This study aims to identify and analyze the conceptual metaphors found in three traditional Cirebon songs performed during the sintren ritual, namely Terap Banda, Turun Sintren, and Jala Tangi, using the framework of Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT). Method: This research employs a qualitative descriptive approach. The data consist of song lyrics from the three selected sintren songs, which were collected through documentation techniques. The lyrics were analyzed through close reading and interpreted using Conceptual Metaphor Theory to identify source domains, target domains, and metaphorical mappings embedded in the songs. Findings and Implications: The analysis reveals that each song contains distinct metaphorical constructions rooted in the sociocultural context of the Cirebon community. These findings demonstrate that traditional songs function not only as ritual accompaniment but also as cultural narratives encoding historical memory, identity, and resistance. Conclusion: The study confirms that conceptual metaphors play a crucial role in constructing meaning in traditional Cirebon sintren songs. Metaphor serves as a cognitive and cultural mechanism through which communities express historical experiences, spiritual beliefs, and collective identity. Furthermore, the study highlights the relevance of Conceptual Metaphor Theory in analyzing indigenous oral traditions and contributes to the preservation and understanding of Cirebon’s cultural heritage.

Animal cultures are learned behaviours that are maintained in populations through social learning and conformity. Global reductions in species’ populations can lead to the loss of animal cultures, which may further reduce individual fitness. The Critically Endangered regent honeyeater (Anthochaera phrygia) is an Australian songbird whose population is declining to the extent that individuals have insufficient contact with conspecifics to maintain their song culture. Zoo-bred males that supplement the wild population sing songs that differ from all wild birds, representing a cultural barrier that may impact their fitness post-release. Over three breeding seasons within the applied breeding system, we undertook adaptive song tutoring experiments using song playback and live tutoring to teach zoo-bred juveniles the wild song. The proportion of juveniles that learned the wild song increased from zero to 42% within three years. The full version of the wild song taught to zoo-bred males disappeared from the wild during the study, making the zoo population the only remaining source of traditional song culture. Using just two wild founders, we show how animal cultures can be restored in ex-situ populations with simple modifications to husbandry protocols. Ex-situ populations could then help maintain and restore wild animal cultures through reintroductions.

This article examines the Yakut toyuk of the Vilyui regional tradition. The authors identify the main criteria for the transmission of the Yakut toyuk within this tradition. The first criterion of tradition is identified as the continuity of the Vilyui regional song tradition, which lies in the oral transmission of the toyuk performance. The second criterion is the system of imagery in the Vilyui toyuk . One of the central images in the toyuk of the Vilyui regional tradition is the image of the girl Suokhaldyiya Tolbonnookh (The Luminous). The third criterion of the Vilyui regional tradition is defined as the compositional and stylistic system. It consists of three parts: an introductory beginning, a main part, and a concluding part. The poetics of the Vilyui toyuks are characterized by epithets of complex structure–extended and layered epithets. The fourth criterion of the Vilyui regional tradition is a specific singing style – eten yllyyr (literally: singing by pronouncing the words). Musicologists such as E. E. Alekseev, G. G. Alekseeva, A. S. Larionova, and others emphasize this stylistic feature as being unique to the Vilyui song tradition. In the process of mastering continuity, an interaction occurs between the old and new traditions, whereby the new tradition is built upon the foundation of the old one. The transmission and preservation of the Vilyui regional tradition of the Yakut toyuk lie in the actualization of its continuity, its system of imagery, and its compositional and stylistic features.

Traditional songs have long served as a medium for cultural transmission, carrying moral lessons and ecological wisdom across generations. In Javanese society, children’s play songs such as Lir-ilir and Gundhul-gundhul Pacul are not merely entertainment but repositories of cultural values that reflect the community’s worldview. However, in an era where globalized media and technology dominate children’s learning environments, the ecological and moral messages embedded in these traditional songs risk being overlooked. This study aims to explore the ecological and cultural values conveyed in these two Javanese children’s play songs through an ecolinguistic discourse analysis approach mainly using Stibbe’s (2015, 2021). The analysis reveals that Lir-ilir highlights themes of renewal, growth, and environmental harmony, while Gundhul-gundhul Pacul emphasizes humility, responsibility, and respect for social and natural balance. These findings suggest that Javanese children’s songs encapsulate ecological wisdom rooted in local culture, which remains highly relevant to today’s environmental challenges. The study highlights the potential of traditional songs as pedagogical and ecolinguistic resources to foster environmental awareness and cultural identity among younger generations.

This research investigates multimodal literature learning as a methodology for comprehending the significance of Sunan Kalijaga’s dakwah symbols in Madrasah Ibtidaiyah via visual literacy. Literature education has predominantly emphasized textual components, leading to insufficient focus on students' visual and interpretative interactions with cultural and religious symbols. This study employs a library research methodology to examine theories of multimodality, visual literacy, and the representation of dakwah symbols in cultural media, including wayang kulit, gamelan, batik, mosque gates (gapura), and traditional songs such as Lir-Ilir and Gundul-Gundul Pacul. The results show that the dakwah symbols of Sunan Kalijaga have spiritual, moral, and social values that are important for helping students build their character. Wayang kulit is a symbol of the spiritual journey of people; gamelan is a symbol of social harmony; batik is a symbol of modesty; mosque gates are a symbol of the path to enlightenment; and Lir-Ilir and Gundul-Gundul Pacul teach about honesty, humility, leadership, and social responsibility. Through visual literacy, students can see, understand, and critically link these symbolic meanings to their daily lives. The use of multimodal literature learning makes a big difference in how well students understand. Combining different modes, like visual, auditory, textual, performative, and kinesthetic, makes learning more interactive and works for a wide range of learning styles. Students can improve their creativity, communication, teamwork, and critical thinking skills by doing things like looking at pictures, listening to traditional songs, making art, and acting out plays. Learning becomes more relevant when it connects art, symbols, and dakwah values to students' lives in a direct way.

This study examines how the Drop part has been established as a musical convention within the song structures of fourth-generation K-POP idol title tracks released between 2020 and 2024. The Drop in K-POP originates from Electronic Dance Music (EDM), adopting its build-up and release structure to create an intense auditory and emotional climax for listeners. Since the late 2010s, the Drop has emerged as a structural element that replaces or reinforces the traditional chorus, and in fourth-generation K-POP, it has become a key section defining a song’s identity and energy. This shift demonstrates K-POP’s transition from a vocal-centered traditional song form (Verse–Chorus–Bridge) to a sound-centered structure of “Verse–Pre-Chorus–Drop–Bridge.” The analysis revealed that pre-Drop sections commonly employ high-pass filtering, rhythmic subdivision, and vocal-sample repetition to build tension, while post-Drop sections feature reinforced 808 bass, repetitive synth riffs, restrained vocals, and contrasting FX usage. These characteristics suggest that the Drop has become a recurring musical convention across K-POP production practices. Furthermore, the Drop functions not as a mere adaptation of EDM but as a key mechanism through which K-POP establishes a sound-oriented creative aesthetic in the global music market. Ultimately, the Drop serves as the central structural and narrative device of fourth-generation K-POP and as a defining factor in shaping its unique sound identity.

The paper offers a comprehensive analysis of Ivan Franko’s poetic cycle “Spring Songs” (“Vesnianky”), which presents an innovative reinterpretation of the folk song tradition. On the one hand, the cycle naturally relies on the archaic generic foundation of the ritual spring song, while on the other, it radically transforms its imaginative, stylistic, and generic system. Moving away from the idyllic reproduction of the agricultural calendar rite, Franko creates a polyphonic model in which the spring archetype functions as a multidimensional artistic symbol with socio-existential and civic resonance. Within the thematic paradigm of the cycle, several vectors can be distinguished: the pessimistic (“counter spring songs”), emphasizing the destitution and hard labor of the peasantry; the vitalistic, affirming the joys of youth, the value of life, and the idea of the ‘integral personality’; the prophetic, permeated with visions of future national rebirth, where spring symbolizes liberation and renewal; and the mythological, in which archetypal images of the earth, Fate, the ploughman, and the ‘quick-witted mind’ acquire a new poetic confi guration, endowing the cycle with a philosophical ontological dimension. The system of images in “Spring Songs” is grounded in the sacred symbols of spring and earth, which together form a unified symbolic-semantic field. When combined with the elements of nature and the allegories of reason, seed (‘the golden grain’), thought, and labor, they create the integral conceptual sphere of the cycle. “Spring Songs” constitutes an important stage in the formation of Franko’s national philosophy. The cycle fuses the emotionality of lyrical experience with a programmatic civic orientation, affirming the ideals of enlightenment and nation-building. The collection emerges as Franko’s civic declaration, shaping his concept of the ‘integral personality.’

Koṭuṅṅallūr Kuññikkuṭṭan Tampurān (1864–1913) completed a verse translation of the Mahābhārata in just 874 days, reproducing the exact metres of the original text. This unique work is superior in literary merit to the earlier fourteenth- and fifteenth-century attempts to translate the Mahābhārata within Kerala’s musical song tradition known as pāṭṭu. Writing at the beginning of the twentieth century, when scholarly translations rather than free adaptations had become the norm, the author sought to produce an accurate mirror image of the original Sanskrit text in Malayalam, rather than a loose retelling in verse. Unlike Tuñcatt Eḷuttacchan, who employed a lucid maṇipravāḷa hybrid tilted towards Malayalam and enriched with Sanskrit vocabulary, Tampurān used a more colloquial form of Malayalam, which made his expression lively and accessible to common readers. The work also differs from the monumental English rendering by K.M. Ganguli (The Mahābhārata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa), which does not preserve the metrical structure of the original. Even more remarkable is the fact that Tampurān’s translation was produced extempore, shedding light on the literary culture that prevailed in nineteenth-century Kerala. This paper investigates both the cultural and aesthetic significance of this extraordinary translation project.

The article is devoted to establishing the nature of the evolution of the epic and its relationship to lyrical poetry in the Adyghe (Circassian) folklore. The relevance of the topic is due to the scientific significance of determining the nature of the interaction between the folk epic and lyrical poetry. To date, this issue has not been the subject of a special study based on the folklore of the Adyghe people, which makes this work scientifically significant and innovative. The purpose of the study is to identify the patterns of transformations that occur in heroic songs and tales during the evolution of the genre. The main objectives are to study the actual material in a diachronic perspective, to establish specific changes and their nature as a result of the interaction between the attributes of epic and lyric poetry, and to identify the general trend of development in the light of the history of verbal art. The main method of study is historical and comparative, with the use of structural-semantic analysis and statistical research. The object of analysis is the authentic recordings of samples of the archaic epic about the Nart heroes and the cycles of songs and legends of the historical and heroic epic. The analysis of the texts reveals that the third-person narrative, which is the main principle of storytelling in epic works, can be interspersed with fragments of a meditative, emotional, and evaluative nature, even in the most ancient examples. This suggests that lyrical motifs may have been present in epic poetry from the beginning. When comparing works belonging to the oldest tales with songs and legends of later origin, it is established that as the genre evolves, attention to the inner world of the hero, to the individual perception of reality, and interest in individual characteristics of perception and psychological motivation of actions increase. As a result, songs with a dominant lyrical content appear within the poetics of the heroic epic. Further evolution contributes to the progressive advancement of meditative, love, philosophical, and everyday lyrics to the center of the genre system of folklore. The canons of traditional song existence are transformed, including the form of performance, the structure of the poetic text, vocabulary, and melodies. These observations help to establish the main stages of the evolution of verbal and musical art in the folklore of the Adyghe people, from its origins to the emergence of artistically developed genres, types, and styles.

The goal is translation strategies used in authoritative translations of A.S. Pushkin’s works into Italian. Using three translations of Pushkin’s works - the poems The Prophet , I Loved you ..., and an excerpt from The Bronze Horseman - included in the bilingual Anthology of Russian Poetry (Antologia della Poesia Russa) edited by S. Garzonio and G. Carpi (2004), three translation strategies are analyzed. It is argued that while Pushkin’s contemporary and his first Italian translator M. Ricci strives for precision and stylistic fidelity to the original, his younger contemporary A. Canini significantly reworks the text, bringing it closer to the song tradition and, in fact, creating a variation on the theme; M. Colucci’s translation reflects an approach based on a philological study of the text and illustrates the principles adhered to by most modern Italian translators from Slavic languages. The article touches upon the problems of conveying poetic form, language and style, the appropriateness of archaization and its methods, taking into account the potential readership and the need to provide the text with commentary. A comparison of the three translations allows us to conclude that this anthology is a valuable source of information not only about the history of Russian poetry, but also about the history of its translation in Italy, about the practice of poetic translation in general and about the most talented translators; it can be used within the framework of a course in the history and theory of literary translation.

The area of confluence of the Aandi and the Kali Gandaki Rivers of Syangja has been the habitat of Magars from time immemorial. This research was carried out in these nine VDCs of Syangja district in 2015, through the qualitative method. During the 1960s, the Siddartha highway crossed the district, and after the policy of ‘aphno gau aphai banau’ by the government of Nepal, village roads were constructed touching all the villages of Magar settlements. Similarly, there were two hydropower stations, providing electricity in every village. The schools and colleges from both the government and private sectors mushroomed, and the media, such as FM radios and TV cables, also reached into Magar society. But, the cables, But the traditional songs and dances such as Sorathi (Karhaang-Naach), Ghāntu, and Rodi-culture But the Rodi culture, and so on, were found rusting. The new generations were found forgetting them. Rarely has such a culture had traditional and cultural events conducted these days. In the development process, there was low priority given to IPIA, SIA, the development of SIA, and IPP from the development agency, SIA, and Magars were found unaware about it. Therefore, such heritages of Nepal are eroding and dying. If such intangible heritages die, it will be costly to make them revive. The folk dances and songs of Magars are endangered heritages that will die, an endangered situation in the district due to unplanned development.

This paper discusses attitudes towards the southern Calabrian landscape as described in Bruno Casile’s poetry collection Strafonghia sto Skotidi (A Light in the Darkness, 1991). It demonstrates that the experience of the landscape, related to the lives of shepherds and farmers and expressed in the vernacular, oral Greek-Calabrian language, is rooted in the tradition of folk songs and distinct from the approach of the elites (Edward Lear, Antonio Marzano). It is argued that Casile seeks in the multigenerational engagement with the landscape a source of Greek-Calabrian identity, combining class consciousness and a narrative of the linguistic minority’s shared origin. The interpretations of Casile’s poetry contribute to discussions about the meanings of vernacular (social, participatory) landscapes and the class dimension of aesthetic landscape experience.

Intriduction. The archive of the Kalmyk Scientific Center of the RAS contains the manuscript “Kalmyk Folk Songs”, which includes texts recorded by the orientalist Tseren-Dordzhi Nominkhanov in the period from 1927 to 1962 among different ethnic groups. The purpose of the article is to give a general description of folk songs recorded by the scientist from the Don Kalmyk Sanzhi Ivanovich Manzhikov in 1962. The article is a continuation of the study, in three other articles the author examines recordings of songs of the Kalmyks of the Don stanitsa Grabbevskaya and Kalmyks of Bolshederbetovsky ulus, dated from 1927, and the songs of the Xinjiang Torguts dated from 1935. Results. The songs from S. I. Manzhikov’s repertoire allow us to judge the peculiarities of the song tradition of the Don Kalmyks, which survived until the early 1960s, reflect the diversity of this genre among them and testify to the connection between the history and oral folk art of this ethnic group. They correspond to the epigraph that precedes the handwritten collection by Ts.-D. Nominkhanov, the meaning of which is that the song is the history of the people. The Don Kalmyks were familiar with the historical songs of the Kalmyks from the main ethnic group, they show knowledge of ethnic divisions, attention to the theme of “friend” ‒ “alien”. The manifestation of the so-called “compression” of time in the folklore tradition is recorded, and attribution to their tradition of what they borrowed from the main ethnic group. A special feature of the songs of the Don Kalmyks is a large number of songs on a military theme, glorifying the participants of the campaigns defending the country from enemies. This is due to the duty of the Don Kalmyks Cossacks in military service. Thanks to the collector, songs composed during the Russian-Turkish war and dated 1877 were recorded. S. I. Manzhikov has a lot of religious-themed songs in his repertoire, which testifies to the depth of the religious tradition among the Don Kalmyks and its special significance in connection with the songs of military service and the constant risks associated with it. Lyrical songs were widely distributed among the Don Kalmyks, as among other ethnic groups, they have a similar structure, are based on the use of parallelism, and most of them are dedicated to the mother, older relatives, or a girl getting married.

This study examines the role of metaphors in Karakalpak folk songs, with a specific focus on three traditional songs: Aqsúńgil, Yasha páriy, and Qız Minayım. Using a qualitative ethnolinguistic approach, the research explores how metaphors in these folk songs reflect and reinforce key cultural values, social structures, and norms within Karakalpak society. Metaphors are recognized as essential tools for conveying cultural beliefs about leadership, community responsibility, gender roles, and romantic relationships. The analysis categorizes metaphors based on Lakoff and Johnson’s typology, distinguishing between ontological, structural, and container metaphors. The findings highlight how metaphors like “settling the lands”, “driving herds of livestock”, and “choosing the finest youths” underscore the cultural importance of land, livelihood, and women’s roles as leaders and nurturers. Similarly, metaphors such as “multicolored dress” and “dawn breaking” reflect the deep connection between nature, beauty, and romantic love. These figurative expressions not only enrich the poetic quality of the songs but also embody fundamental aspects of Karakalpak worldview, where emotional connections and social unity are intertwined with the natural world’s rhythms. By examining the metaphors in these folk songs, this paper contributes to the ethnolinguistic understanding of how language and culture are intertwined, offering new insights into the cultural identity of the Karakalpak people. The study highlights the importance of metaphor in shaping social relationships, fostering community cohesion, and transmitting cultural knowledge across generations. The research also opens avenues for future studies on the role of metaphor in other forms of oral literature in Central Asia.

This paper explores the views of students in Malaysian public secondary schools on Malaysian traditional music. Using the survey method, this study investigates the students’ engagement with Malaysian traditional music, their perspective on the value of Malaysian traditional music, and their suggestions for what schools should teach them about Malaysian traditional music. The findings reveal the importance of integrating traditional music into secondary school curricula, not only to preserve Malaysia’s cultural identity but also to foster a sense of belonging and appreciation among the younger generation. Findings highlight the positive perceptions of secondary students towards singing, playing and listening to Malaysian traditional music whereby a majority of the students strongly agreed that traditional music should be included in the school curriculum and taught in school. The students also expressed interest in learning how to sing traditional songs and how to play traditional musical instruments. Findings also highlight the important role music education plays in the cultural preservation of Malaysian musics in that including traditional music into the school curriculum will ensure the young generation will learn and not forget about their origins. Implications for curriculum design, pedagogy, and cultural preservation efforts in Malaysian secondary education are included. Keywords: Malaysian Secondary School Students, Malaysian traditional music, music education, student perspectives, cultural preservation.

The article examines the Christmas cycles in the authorial cantionals of Adam Václav Michna (Česká mariánská muzika) and Pál Esterházy (Harmonia caelestis). A traditional cantional, intended for communal singing, contained songs created at different times by different authors and therefore did not provide for their organization according to musical principles. In contrast, in the authorial cantionals we observe some of the first attempts to create cycles of works united by a common theme. The Christmas song cycles in Česká mariánská muzika and Harmonia caelestis are distinguished by a well-considered tonal plan and carefully chosen expressive means, which made it possible to construct a coherent musical architecture. Both composers sought to bring paraliturgical spiritual songs closer to liturgical genres, which in the Baroque era—under the influence of opera and instrumental music—were characterized by developed musical dramaturgy. The new musical style of spiritual song represented in these Baroque cantionals also influenced Ukrainian sacred song tradition, although Ukrainian music did not cultivate “pure” concert works of the song genre such as those found in Harmonia caelestis. The songs of Česká mariánská muzika and Harmonia caelestis did not enter the Ukrainian repertoire, yet they share many stylistic features, expressive techniques, and textural solutions with Ukrainian paraliturgical song.

This study examines the implementation of local wisdom–based digital pedagogy in online language learning among university students in Indonesia. As higher education increasingly adopts digital platforms, integrating cultural and artistic elements becomes essential to create meaningful and contextually relevant learning experiences. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, this research investigates how Indonesian art such as batik motifs, traditional songs, and folklore narratives can be incorporated into digital language learning activities for students. Data were obtained through virtual classroom observations, student reflections, and interviews with lecturers. The findings indicate that the integration of local art forms enhances students’ motivation, intercultural awareness, and linguistic competence. Moreover, digital tools enable learners to reinterpret traditional art through multimedia projects, promoting creativity and collaboration in online learning environments. This study concludes that embedding Indonesian local wisdom into digital pedagogy not only strengthens cultural identity among university students but also provides an innovative framework for inclusive and culturally grounded language education in the digital era. Keywords: digital pedagogy, local wisdom, university students, Indonesian art, online language learning

In her illustrated book Ayiti. Chants de liberté! (2022), Haitian Canadian artist, storyteller and author Joujou Turenne tells the history of her birth country, Haiti, from a feminist and diasporic perspective. To construct a feminine Haitian collective memory, she interweaves elements of her biography with Haitian history and the art of Haitian oral storytelling, integrating traditional songs and tales that belong to the Haitian oral literature. My contribution proposes reading the text from the perspective of the recuperation and rewriting of Haitian memory from and for the Quebec diaspora. One of the key axes of analysis will be the dynamic tensions between «parole de nuit» and «parole de jour», between literary genres of different cultural origins, and between semiotic modes of narration.

The vitality of eco-centric Noongar language and song traditions Indigenous to Western Australia’s urban-rural southwest region has been continually compromised by environmental and social upheaval since the onset of settler-colonisation in the nineteenth century. The Noongar region is today recognised as an area of globally significant biodiversity under significant threat, and a global drying hotspot. This article considers how revitalising and publicly sharing Noongar expressive culture could destabilise the separation between nature and culture imposed and maintained by settler-colonial systems. It positions Noongar performance revitalisation in the transdisciplinary field of ecomusicologies, considering the potential for Indigenous expressive culture to help move the needle on nature-culture challenges and motivate action on pressing global environmental issues. While many Indigenous communities are engaging in processes of revitalising culture, language and performance across Australia, the ecological and social benefits of revitalised Indigenous performance genres are yet to be fully realised and understood, especially in urban-rural contexts. Given the primary function of Indigenous expressive culture to maintain reciprocal relationships among communities and everything in landscapes, broader public engagement with Indigenous performance could productively enrich perceptions of local environments among all Australians. Still, tensions exist between the resource-intensive demands associated with reaching large audiences through festival productions and the eco-friendly, community-focused motivations for Noongar language and performance revitalisation.