Transformational Multicultural and Multilingual Impacts on the Tribal Folksongs

Abstract

It is a challenging and equally exciting encounter itself to study tribal folksongs although scripted in Marathi dialect. An endeavour towards a study that has been unexplored for centuries introduces a space of bliss. In the first place, the tribal folklore continues as dormant further folksong in it is farther too difficult to obtain, decode and interpret and its study is another tougher task for any scholar. Since every tribal culture differs in many respects still shares some common links but surely cannot be treated to be same for any study like this. As mentioned earlier, the folklore is in a Marathi dialect but there are many linguistic varieties within the dialect depending upon the different tribes. Tribal folk literature witnesses the lingual and cultural impacts in the course of language exchange, migration for employment and business or education etc. Hence the non-tribal culture unawares continues to impact and influence not only the ethnic users of folk language but also the rural community. Of several cultural festivals and celebrations and stages of human life, this piece attempts to explore a couple of them strewn in eight tribal folksongs.

Keywords: youths, marriage, festivity, culture, dialect, impacts.