Traditional Songs Research Articles

Character learning model based on traditional songs in Indonesia

Character learning model based on traditional songs in Indonesia

“All Crookedly Blessed in God’s Mercy”

Bruce Springsteen has repeatedly reinvented himself through a long process of vocational discernment that often draws on a distinctly Catholic imagination. In this process, he has repeatedly explored complex relationships between religious faith, American identity, older traditions of popular music, and race. At pivotal moments in his career, his vocational discernment has led him to the work of musicians raised in Pentecostal and Holiness churches. From this perspective, this essay explores the relationship between Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams” and Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s “This Train,” the gospel-inspired song that she first recorded in 1938. Both of these songs arise from Christian imaginations nurtured in local communities of faith—in Tharpe’s case, a congregation of the Church of God in Christ in Cotton Plant, Arkansas, and in Springsteen’s case, an immigrant Catholic parish in Freehold, New Jersey. Tharpe draws directly from Holiness traditions, combining her belief in a distinctly embodied version of sanctification with the religious practice of tongues speaking, most powerfully in her guitar improvisations. Like Springsteen, Tharpe brings to contemporary music the performance dynamics of Holiness and Pentecostal preachers, possessed by the Holy Spirit, accompanied by a choir, before an enraptured congregation. In these respects, the resemblances between these two songs are not a matter of “direct influence.” Rather, these resemblances provide a critical test case in a kind of artistic influence that is multi-directional, unpredictable, and often subversive. They arise from shared sources, particularly a long tradition of train songs that find their way into country and gospel music. Even more important, they arise from similarities in the faith traditions—and the religious imaginations—of the two musicians. From this perspective, Tharpe and Springsteen both belong to a larger tradition of “gospel redemption” in American popular music, which becomes particularly evident when “Land of Hope and Dreams” ends with a cover of Curtis Mayfield’s “People Get Ready,” invoking the ideals of the early civil rights movement and, at the same time, our repeated failures to achieve these ideals.

Calling Out the Catalogue

The implicit and explicit silencing of Romani and Traveller voices in museum and archive collections, and in the wider narrative of British history, has been increasingly recognised over the last decade (Matthews 2015). In the pursuit of decolonising museums and archives, however, institutional recognition of the significant contributions of Romani and Traveller peoples to the traditional music heritage of the UK and Ireland has largely been absent. Throughout the 20th century and increasingly since the 1960s, folk song collectors around the British Isles have turned to Romani Gypsies and Travellers in search of traditional songs and music. Hamish Henderson, Ewan MacColl, and Peggy Seeger, amongst others, admired Romani and Traveller singers for preserving what collectors perceived to be native song traditions. Recordings of Romani Gypsies and Travellers, held in national and regional sound archives, have had a lasting impact on folk repertoires in the UK and Ireland. However, the incorporation of such recordings into specialist collections has tended to erase Romani and Traveller identities. As the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of the singers are rarely acknowledged in the catalogues, and are searchable only with specialist knowledge, their songs are implicitly added to the canon of English, Scottish or Irish folk music. The songs are thus co-opted, not to tell Romani Gypsy and Traveller stories and history, but those of a majority population. This article addresses specific issues pertaining to an English archive collection held at the Vaughan Williams Memorial Library in Cecil Sharp House, London. Recognising the precariousness of funding that many specialist collections face, we do not simply critique a lack of progress regarding representation. Instead, we outline how Romani and Traveller communities might collaborate with archivists, cultural events organisers, and universities, to connect archival collections with various publics in England today.

THE FUNCTIONING OF COMONYMS IN MODERN SONG TEXTS OF THE TATAR AND MARI PEOPLES

The article is devoted to the analysis of the modern musical and song tradition of the contacting ethnic groups of the Middle Volga region. The main attention is focused on the study of song texts in the Tatar and Mari languages contained in the names of rural settlements of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Republic of Mari El. The preservation of a common trend for all ethnic groups, expressed in the unification of thematic groups, the preservation of common features of national and cultural specificity in the performance of musical works, has been established. An archaic pentatonic characteristic of the Tatar song model, borrowed into the Mari folk song, has been recorded. It is confirmed that the basis of the modern Tatar and Mari musical and song culture of the village is the genre of village chant, marking the place of existence of the song and informing about the attribution of the song to a certain locality. There is a direct connection between the village and the rustic motif (chant). The implementation of the village tune is carried out mainly in everyday languages through lyrical songs and “takmak”. “Takmak” (analogous to Russian chastushka), as a legacy of the musical influence of the Turkic-Tatar population of the Middle Volga region, retained its influence on the musical tradition of the Cheremis (Mari) people, which allowed to establish a certain kinship of modern folkish songs of these peoples in rural society. The marking of the geographical affiliation of the song works is provided by toponyms describing the location of a particular locality. Song collections of a consolidated type in the Tatar and Mari languages are presented in printed and electronic versions. A comparative analysis of modern songs, including comonyms, revealed the manifestation of similar features when they are implemented in a natural cultural environment. Most modern folkish songs, both Tatar and Mari, are based on traditional motifs of the small homeland, nostalgia for the rural nativity, love of nature, autobiographical history, memories of past youth and childhood, indicating the characteristic features of the geo-landscape for this territory, as well as linguistic and cultural images based on the motives of sociocommunication – the presentation of the settlement, its residents, outstanding natives, self-presentation, promotion of village traditions, relationships of the multiethnic composition of the village, etc.

An Analysis of Traditional and Contemporary Children’s Songs With Considerations for Music Therapy Practice

Abstract Children’s songs include a diverse collection of traditional and contemporary songs. (Yinger and Springer [2016]. Analyzing recommended songs for older adult populations through linguistic and musical inquiry. Music Therapy Perspectives 34, 116–125. https://doi.org/10.1093/mtp/miu048) analyzed musical and textual features of songs used by music therapists with older adults; however, studies on children’s songs in music therapy have not included musical and textual features analysis. Our purpose with this study was to analyze the musical and textual features of a sample of 20 traditional and 20 contemporary predominantly U.S. children’s songs and consider applications for music therapy. Text information was collected, including total and unique words, the song topic, and potential applications. Musical information was collected, including form, melodic range, and harmonic/chordal structure. Findings included that the traditional songs were strophic, had fewer overall words, were harmonized with three chords or fewer, and had melodic ranges of five to seven notes. By contrast, contemporary children’s songs used complex song forms, had more words, were harmonized with more than three chords, and had melodic ranges of eight or more notes. Song topics and applications had similar codes across the song types. A music therapist may apply traditional songs in clinical work, where a simpler musical structure and fewer words support the client’s needs. Likewise, a music therapist may apply contemporary songs for greater musical complexity and more vocabulary. Future studies of children’s songs in music therapy could include an analysis of music therapists’ composed songs and songs used by music therapists who work with young children.

A Cycle of Poems about Armenia by R. Gamzatov

The subject of the article is the cycle of poems by R. Gamzatov about Armenia. This work represents the first detailed scientific study of the poetics of R. Gamzatov’s cycle of poems about Armenia. Using the example of the most striking works, the methods, techniques and means of expression used by the author to create the image of Armenia are identified. The poet describes the nature of this country, its song traditions, socio-political events, recreates the images of Armenian friends, sacred and iconic symbols for Armenia, its cultural objects and geographical topoi. The purpose of the article is to identify works from R. Gamzatov’s cycle of poems about Armenia, to conduct a philological analysis of the texts, to identify their genre specificity, and to determine the main motifs and images. The objectives of the work are to identify the themes and problems of poems about Armenia; their figurative and emotional-style similarities and differences from each other: determination of techniques and methods, as well as means of expression in realizing the image of Armenia. The study, carried out on the basis of the comparative method and the method of philological analysis of the text, led to the following conclusions: 1) in the cycle of poems by R. Gamzatov about Armenia, typical attributes are used, found in similar poems about Armenia by other authors (Ararat, Sevan, Matenadaran, Saryan); 2) a distinctive feature of the author’s feelings is admiration for nature, national cultural monuments and the creativity of literary and artistic figures of the Armenian people; 3) depending on the object and subject of the author’s attention, the mood and emotional tone of the works changes from lively, respectful, in love with the songs, music, and nature of Armenia to sad, sympathetic for the fate of this country and its long-suffering people. The results of the study can be used in further studying the work of R. Gamzatov. In addition, the article may arouse interest in wide circles, in particular in Dagestan-Armenian literary relations. This work can be used in teaching courses on the history of Avarian, Dagestan and Armenian literature.

Kabata Banda & the significance of Islamic eco-theology education

The environmental crisis is a real threat to human survival. Climate change, natural disasters, and food crises are some of the devastating impacts that can have a major impact on the human population. The Banda Islands have a wide water zone with diverse marine biota but face the threat of natural disasters from active volcanoes and human behaviour that is not environmentally friendly. Historically, Banda has a tradition that is very close to coastal nature. This is revealed in their traditional song known as Kabata Belang, often sung while rowing a traditional boat (Belang) in various community cultural stages. By adopting phenomenology perspectives, this research is focused on reviewing the narration of the Fiat’ Kabata belang sacrament songs to seek out the implied values of environmental ethics and its urgency in handling coastal environmental problems in Banda Naira today. The results show that Kabata Belang contains both theological and ecological values (eco-theology) apart from being an instrument of traditional rituals. There are 13 stanzas in Fiat village Kabata Belang that are oriented towards maintaining several coastal natural objects, such as mountains, coasts, birds, and fish. The singing of the Kabata Belang as a traditional wisdom functions as an "advisor" for the people of Banda today to preserve the marine and coastal environment. This research recommends the importance of writing down the Kabata text, complete with pictures and articulations that are more accessible to the public as a guidebook, especially for the younger generation to understand better and participate in creative efforts to preserve the coastal and marine environment in their everyday lives.

Ukrainian Song Folklore in Oleksandr Dovzhenko’s Records: History of Publication, Analysis of Motifs and Plots

The subject of this study analysis concerns the history of publication of notes those Oleksandr Dovzhenko has recorded from his mother in December 1943 in Moscow. These are 32 song texts of Ukrainian folk Christmas carols, shchedrivky, spring rite carols and lyrical songs. The records are contained in a separate notebook, which has 30 sheets. The name of the collection is The Mother’s Songs. It is kept in the Russian State Archives of Literature and Art in Moscow (RSALA, fund 2081, inventory 1, unit of issue 330). The published work is aimed at the description of the editorial approaches to these song texts in various periods to these song texts, indicating the list of publications of each of them. Records of Christmas carols and shchedrivky from the collection of O. Dovzhenko contain motifs and plots typical for Volhynia, Podillia and Slobozhanshchyna. Most often, these are songs for the owners and their children, for a young man, a girl, less often these are the motifs with biblical characters, formed under the influence of folk tradition. Almost all ritual songs of the winter cycle have variants in Zorian Dolenha-Khodakovskyi’s collection of recordings [11]. The motifs of the lyrical songs from O. Dovzhenko’s recordings are typical for the song tradition of Podillia, Volhynia, the Over Dnipro Lands and Slobozhanshchyna. These are plots about watering horses near a well, embroidering a shirt for a Cossack, a widow and her unloved children for a potential husband, waking up / not waking up a Cossack, a request to a mother to show her daughter. They are circulated throughout Ukraine.

Social Role of the Tradition of Protest Song Tradition of Popular Music mid-20th century in the United States

Introduction. The article considers the integrating social role of the tradition of protest songs in the period 1950–1970 on the example of the United States of America. This period was characterized by a series of military conflicts against the background of geopolitical confrontation between the USSR and the USA, which was reflected in creative and sociocultural movements for peace and contributed to social and political changes in the USA. Protest music not only contributed to a positive influence on political decision-making, but also became a powerful means of expressing public opinion and feelings.Methodology and sources. The methodology and theory is based on comparative historical analysis of socio-cultural, political and historical events and facts related to the period covered. The material for the study was also made up of biographies, descriptions of events by eyewitnesses and documents of secondary analysis, telling about the social and musical impact of the phenomenon of protest songs of folk music and rock'n'roll counterculture on American society, as a reaction to the political decisions of the U.S. government to create hotbeds of military conflicts in the world.Results and discussion. The period from the late 1940s to the 1950s in the United States was marked by an acute confrontation between communism and capitalism, which was reflected in the culture and music of the time. The emergence and proliferation of protest songs, as well as other forms in the arts, occurs because of important crisis events on a global scale, or when people begin to see these events as such. Because of the impact the conflict between the two superpowers and their allies had on the world, people began to react to it in their own way. Music reacted to the events instantly and vividly. Although most protest songs were not a national success and their message was mostly appreciated by radicals, the songs united people and helped them express their discontent with what was happening.Conclusion. Folk and rock music became an integral part of life during the Cold War within the United States. Musicians and poets protested against the administration's policies, against unnecessary military conflicts, and warned against the possible destruction of the world. As a result, these genres became a powerful means of expressing public feelings, opinions, and influenced the formation of public consciousness right up to our time.

DECLARATIVE AND IMPERATIVE MOOD IN LIR-ILIR SONG

Javanese songs as a traditional literary art that are currently very close to the lives of Javanese people are becoming less and less popular. Since that time, the popularity of traditional songs began to be replaced by modern songs. Preserving these traditional songs is crucial because they hold significant cultural and emotional value. The Lir-Ilir song is a traditional song created by Sunan Kalijaga as part of the effort to spread Islam in Java in the early 16th century. This research aimed to understand the interpersonal meaning and identify mood types of the Lir-Ilir song. The research was conducted using a qualitative method, which explains the research results with description and not with statistics. Therefore, The results showed that there were two types of mood, namely declarative and imperative, and 50% declarative mood and 50% imperative mood were found. This showed that the songwriter gave a combination of statements and commands, which meant that this song gave a message and invited listeners to take action according to the message of the song.

Research on Khorchin Zasagt Wedding Songs

The nomadic Mongolians have a rich tradition of songs and music, which has retained its distinct characteristics and forms over a long historical period. The traditional culture and art of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China are undoubtedly a core component of nomadic culture. Therefore, in this study, we have focused on the traditional songs of the nomadic descendants of the Khorchin Right Wing Front Banner in the present-day Hinggan League. Specifically, we have examined the inheritance and transmission of these songs, their classification, and the social impact and trends associated with them.

A Brief Discussion on the Singing Evolution and Promotion of the Buyi Folk Song Hao Hua Hong

Folk songs refer to the songs created by each ethnic group in ancient or modern times with their own ethnic style characteristics, and are the traditional songs of the working people of each ethnic group. Despite the occasional sheet music relic, this art form is primarily transmitted dynamically.As the idea of comprehensive national strength has grown, ethnic minorities rich cultures have emerged as a crucial indicator of the health of our nation. Thus, Hao Hua Hong has great cultural potential as a significant representative raised in ethnic minority areas and nourished by a variety of civilizations. In order to strengthen cultural independence, self-improvement, and confidence based on cultural orientation, this article will analyze the singing style and cultural aesthetics of the Buyi folk song Hao Hua Hong and talk about the passing down, preservation, promotion, and dissemination of local culture based on its interpretation.

Bob's Beat: Dylan, A Poet among Poets

Abstract: This essay explores the literary resonances of the Nobel Prize committee's 2016 citation of Bob Dylan's work "for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition." That "new poetic expression" has grown out of and developed through a spirit of iconoclasm and estrangement very much in the American grain, and it runs through not only the American folk "song tradition" but through the Beat Generation of writers, even as the shape-changing troubadour-poet never was, nor would he ever become a full-fledged, card-carrying Beat poet, nor a traditional poet of any sort, as he became a poet among poets on the road, finally, to becoming Bob Dylan, or rather to creating Dylan, Nobel laureate.

Language and cultural values exploration of traditional songs in Malakan Ethnic, Eastern Indonesia

The present research undertakes a cultural analysis of ethnic verses and songs from Malakan to uncover their underlying philosophical thought. Understanding these works' fundamental principles and concepts is essential to convey their valuable knowledge, which ultimately shapes and reinforces values in future generations. Cultural-linguistic theory by Sharifin (2021) was utilized to find out if Malakan ethnic song verses include cultural features. This descriptive-qualitative study method used observation, in-depth interviews, documentation, and Focus Group Discussions with 40 participants from eight communities from July to September 2023. The findings indicate that the auditory elements of lyrics, words, phrases, and clauses serve as a means of conveying the cultural values of the Malakan people when singing four traditional songs as a component of their daily lives. In addition, several values were derived from the meaning of the four-song lyrics, including patience, responsibility, commitment, resilience, harmony, togetherness, sacrifice, empathy, and sympathy, which ultimately serve as a reference for human behavior in the Malakan community. The findings suggest that storing traditional artworks linked to poetry and musical works is advisable. Through the utilization of poetry and musical compositions, people could find cultural components that can be reused as indigenous content for the study of cultural arts and local languages.

Transmission of indigenous knowledge systems under changing landscapes within the vhavenda community, South Africa

Indigenous Knowledge (IK) and techniques benefit not only humankind but also benefit the environment. Nevertheless, the transmissions of indigenous knowledge are threatened and replaced by Western knowledge and ideologies. The focus of the study was to demonstrate the various Indigenous knowledge transmission methods, the driving forces behind their disappearance, and how they added value to the resilience of such knowledge forms in sustaining Indigenous and local communities throughout the centuries. To achieve this, the study used questionnaires consisting of open-ended and closed-ended questions (n = 136). Participants were selected and identified through purposeful sampling from five remote indigenous villages in South Africa. The data were collected only from principal elderly participants above 50 due to their profound knowledge and experiences with their local environment. The most prevalent indigenous knowledge within the Vhavenda people is folklore, which is orally transmitted from one generation to the next through traditional songs, stories, dances, myths, customs, and rituals. Drivers such as invasion of technology, reluctance on the part of custodians to pass on the knowledge, knowledge being forgotten, and knowledge being less effective were ranked to be highest in the hindrance of IK transmission in the study area. Solutions such as revitalising knowledge systems through proper documentation, such as building online libraries, integrating Western and indigenous knowledge, and introducing indigenous knowledge into mainstream education systems and media could assist in preserving such knowledge.

Editorial Vol.16(1)

It is with great pleasure that we present to you Volume 16, Number 1, 2024, of "Voice: Biannual and Bilingual Journal” published by Autar Dei Chaudharain Research Centre (ADCRC) at Mahendra Multiple Campus, Nepalgunj, Banke, Nepal. Our journal continues to uphold its primary aim of facilitating the exchange of expertise among scholars on a global scale, fostering a dynamic platform for intellectual discourse across various disciplines. In this edition, we proudly present a multidisciplinary collection of 13 articles, with eight contributions in English and five in Nepali. This diversity reflects our commitment to linguistic inclusivity and our effort to bridge scholarly communities across different languages.The range of topics covered in this issue underscores the breadth and depth of academic inquiry being pursued by our contributors. Highlights include an in-depth analysis of the socio-economic impacts of policy changes in Nepal during the crucial decade of the 1990s, examining realism and societal dynamics in selected novels of Shashi Deshpande, and a stability evaluation of the Lanedada Twin Tunnel in KTFT, focusing on the structural stability and safety measures of a significant infrastructural project. Additionally, we have an exploration of alcohol use and its socio-economic and health effects in the Tharu community of Raptisonari Rural Municipality. There is also an analysis of historical and literary perspectives on trauma and displacement in Khushwant Singh's "Train to Pakistan." An exploratory study on how economic changes affect consumer behavior in the jewelry market of Nepalgunj adds a practical economic perspective. A comparative study on the reading comprehension abilities of Tharu and non-Tharu students’ sheds light on educational performance influenced by cultural and linguistic factors. Finally, a contemporary assessment of Nepal’s food sovereignty status and related policies offers valuable insights into current agricultural and food security challenges.For our Nepali readers, we offer a detailed exploration of classical Sanskrit poetics and theories of rasa, along with an analysis of the purpose and cultural significance of traditional songs in the Ribdikot area. There is a historical overview and critical examination of trends in Nepali short stories, a comprehensive look at the fifth part of the Vedapurana's gems, and an analysis of the ideologies presented in the novel "Basai."

MAPPILAPPAATTU AND OPPANA: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL NOTE ON MAPPILA SONGS AND PERFORMING ART

The Muslim population of Kerala state is known as the Mappilas. The community is formed due to commerce between the Arabians and the Malabarians. Indigenous culture had a significant effect on Mappila's arts and ceremonies. The Mappilas created a distinctive cultural pattern that encompassed a variety of artistic aspects, including their traditional song, Mappilappaattus, and one of the most exquisite performing arts, Oppana. Most scholarly research on Mappilas is historical and ignores anthropological elements like arts and rituals. Thus, this essay aims to offer an anthropological perspective on Mappila songs, known as Mappilappaattu and the performing art of Mappila women, known as Oppana. While examining the nature of Mappilappaattus and its many genres, this research highlights that the secularised Mappilappaattus, which was primarily romantic in substance, drew people from beyond the Mappila community. Oppana also had a secular and romantic tone, which appealed to the public. The popularity of Mappilappaattus and Oppana can be explained, for example, by looking at the history of Malayalam films. Mappilappaattu and Oppana were staples of Malayalam film from the beginning of the 1950s.

교방문화의 형성과 문화적 의미

In Korea’s traditional culture, art culture related to Gyobang remains rich and diverse and has been handed down. Jeongjae (呈才), a comprehensive art that combines music and dance, was performed by Gisaengs belonging to Jangakwon or Gyobang, and many traditional songs, including Gagokchang (Sijo) in classical 典 poetry 歌, were also performed mainly by Gisaeng’s singing (歌唱). We have the results of the creation of female Gisaengs and musicians, who were in charge of art from the Gyobang of the Goryeo Dynasty to the modern Kwonbeon. In this way, it is ‘Gyobang culture’ that preserves its value and historicity by accumulating such knowledge and information through Gyobang. Until now, the sijo and lyrics in the Gyobang space have been approached by dividing them into Korean literature, dance and Jeongjae (呈才) into dance studies, vulgar music into music studies, and other folklore. Therefore, a more comprehensive and three-dimensional approach to Gyobang culture is now needed. In this respect, it is necessary to avoid the simple interpretation of the past and think about the Gyobang culture from a more three-dimensional and comprehensive aspect. The strong vitality and continuity of Gyobang culture is difficult to explain simply by the succession discourse of the conscious and intentional cultural delivery system. The possibility that certain cultural elements are inherent in it cannot be excluded. The reason Gyobang culture can maintain its name for a long time is that it has its own unique discriminatory specificity. Gyobang culture has the basis and convergence aspects of realization and modernity of aesthetic consciousness, self-realization and modernity through artistic achievement, discovery of original stories. In addition, cultures tend to be enjoyed differently depending on the subject in charge of culture. The core cultural codes of the time were hidden in Gyobang culture, and by flexibly reading the trends of the times, they transformed, imitated, changed, and developed within them. This provides a clue to further materialize the diversity of Gyobang culture. Gyobang culture must now be reborn as familiar content that the times can sympathize with and communicate with.

Creation of Isaan Local Melodies from the Rituals and Beliefs of the Heet Sip Song Tradition

Creation of Isaan Local Melodies from the Rituals and Beliefs of the Heet Sip Song Tradition

Mukha Shilpa (Mask Making) is the Artefact form of Assam

The north-eastern state of Assam is very rich in terms of diverse arts. Revolutionary great men in Assamese literature, culture, society and spiritual life The contribution of Shrimant Shankardev is unforgettable. His great works made this Strengthened the feeling of social and cultural unity in the area. He wrote Ramayana and translated Shrimad Bhagwat into Brajavali language.Vaishnavism in the North-East for propagation, Shankardev started Bargeet, Kirtan, Ankiya Naat (Bhaona) etc. Composed. There are two main forms of dance here – Bihu dance and Satriya dance. bihu dance The identity of Assam has become. All children and elders participate in this. Bihu dance is performed on the occasion of the festival. Bihu song also on this occasion are sung. The central theme of Bihu songs is love. Apart from this, in Assam many folk dances are prevalent. There are many art forms here in the form of songs, dance, drama etc. are present. Shankardev gave birth to many art forms, including dramatic art and mask art was prominent. Folk plays played an important role in the background of the Neovaishnav movement and its propagation. Folk theaters performed by women are also popular in Assam. Women express their feelings through these folk dramas. Assam also has a rich tradition of folk songs. Bihu is the representative folklore in this region. Through which the common people's passion, hope, Aspirations, joys and troubles take shape. The folk song 'Haidang' of Sonowal Kachari tribe is sung only by men. Various body movements and dance along with songs are the specialty of Haidang. Rabha community of Assam is very rich in terms of folk songs. The folk songs of Miri or Mising tribe are called 'Oi Neetom'.The life and culture of the people of this community has developed in the valley of Brahmaputra and Subansiri rivers. The communities here have a rich heritage of folklore. The folk tales here are full of supernatural incidents. Assam has been considered the center of Tantra-Mantra, witchcraft and spirituality. Therefore, Tantra-Mantras are included in folk tales. Apart from this, idioms and proverbs are also available in abundance.