EXPLORING THE FOLK MUSICAL TRADITION OF THE DEORIS OF ASSAM.

Abstract

In the contemporary society we are constantly struggling to go back to our roots and to maintain our ethnic identity. Culture is the creative expression of a particular society through its symbols, stories, ballads, myths, literature, art, music and for some its institution. The date regarding the historical background of the Deoris is largely wanting due to scarcity of relevant ancient documents and other evidences. Regarding the origin and pre-history of the Deori community few legends as well as traditional songs can be considered as these appear to have represented real facts. 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 Deorimeans 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.