Folk Music Of The Zeliangrongs Of Northeast India With Special Reference To Songs

Abstract

The paper is a humble attempt to look into the folk songs of the Zelaingrongs of Northeast and its importance in their culture. The Zeliangrong people have their rich culture which handed down from one generation to the next through oral traditions. They lived in the villages and their cultural life operates around the village community through the institutions like Khangchu, Luchu, Pei, Karaapei Kaibang, Gaanchang Kaibang etc. They are proud of their rich cultural heritage, as their culture has significantly been enriched by their religious ceremonies, annual festivals, beautiful dances and diversely classified folk songs. Music may be vocal or instrumental through which one’s feeling, sentiment, emotion and idea are expressed. It also binds and touches everyone because music is the universal language. They sing their folk songs in time of festival, great ritual sacrifice of the village or individual and other social functions. Their folk songs express their love, their hardship, hope, frustration, victory etc.