Folk Song – Arunachal Pradesh PCS Free Notes

Folk Songs of Arunachal Pradesh

The folk song of Pailibos relate more to their folk history, mythology and description of their known past.
Themes of songs are like fables involving creatures or the animal and urgent words signifying moral deduction.
Music & dance are an integral part of every festival and occasion, taking place in Arunachal Pradesh.
Every festival is celebrated with much fun & fair, which also includes music and dance.
The folk dances and Folk Songs of Arunachal Pradesh are are generally performed in groups, in which both men & women participate.
There are also famous tribal songs and dances generally performed on marriage occassions, harvet time or on every aspecious event.
Dance forms an important aspect of the socio-cultural heritage of the people of Arunachal Pradesh.
The people of Arunachal dance on important rituals, during festivals and also for recreation. The dances of the people of Arunachal are group dances, in which both men and women participate.
There are some dances such as igo dance of the Mishmi priests, war dance of the Adis, Noctes and Wanchos Tribal dance, ritualistic dance of the Buddhist tribes, which are specifically male dances. Females are not allowed to take part in these dances.

Experience the Dance & Music

Some of the popular folk dances of the people of Arunachal Pradesh are Aji Lamu (Monpa), Roppi (Nishing), Buiya (Nishing), Hurkani (Apatani), Popir (Adi), Pasi Kongki (Adi), Chalo (Nocte), Ponung (Adi), Rekham Pada (Nishing), Lion and Peacock dance (Monpa) and so on.
Most dances are performed to the accompaniment of songs sung generally in chorus.
Musical instruments like drums and Cymbals are played along with the songs sung for the dances.

Following are their chief folksong, sung on different occasion:

Ja-Jin-Ja Folk Songs of Arunachal Pradesh:

On occasion of feasts and merriment, during marriages or other social meets, this song is sung.
This song is sung especially during the social gatherings such as marriages, family feasts and friendly get-togethers.
The song lightens up the mood and provides a spirit of mirth and merriment to the people.
This folk song is sung by both males and females but gradually everyone lends their voice as the celebration peaks.

Baryi Folk Song Folk Songs of Arunachal Pradesh:

It is a song which narrate their history, their religious lore and mythology.
Its whole cycle takes hours to complete. It is also a feature of festivals or of occasion of important social or religious gatherings.
Both Ja-Jin-Ja and Baryi produce a nostalgic feeling in Pailibos as the glories of the past ancestors are narrated through them.

Nyioga Folk Songs of Arunachal Pradesh:

It is sung when a marriage ceremony is concluded and the bridal party returns leaving the bride in her home. The theme is that of the joy. It contains pieces of advice to the bride for her future life.

ZIRO FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

This festival is Arunachal’s own version of the Sunburn Festival.
Ziro Festival of Music is the biggest outdoor music festival in the state and is the most happening event in Arunachal Pradesh as well.
Music lovers from all over the state and the North East region gather at Ziro, where this festival takes place.
It is a four-day festival where the music lovers enjoy the performances of international and domestic music artists.
Folk acts from all across the North East are also organized; therefore it is a good opportunity to learn about the different cultures here.
People make merry and spend four unforgettable days at the Ziro Festival of Music.

Musical Instruments used during singing

Music is an important component of the performing arts like dance and drama, and of rituals. Each community has its own style of music and tradition of songs.
There are essentially two ways to make music:

With the human voice
With an instrument.

The musical instruments are classified on the basis of the scientific principle used to create the sound they make. They are briefly described below.

Percussion Instruments: These instruments are struck to produce sound. Often these are used to produce the taal or beat and do not produce all the musical note or cymbals.
Wind Instruments: These need air to flow through them to produce soundóbansuri or flute.
String Instruments: These are instruments that use one or many tightly tied strings that when struck vibrate to create soundóthe veena or ektara.
Drums: A drum is made of a membrane stretched across a hollow frame and played by striking the dholak or mridangam.

Basic/General Features of Folk Music across India as well as Arunachal

India has a very rich and varied tradition of folk music.
The extreme diversity in rural culture spawns endless varieties of folk styles.
Each region has its own particular approach and repertoire.
There is a tendency to lump folk music along with tribal music, but strictly speaking this is not correct.
Where folk music is a rustic reflection of Indian society at large, tribal music often reflects cultures that are very different.
Some of these tribal cultures are throwbacks to society as it was thousands of years ago.
Folk and tribal music is not taught in the same way that Indian classical music is taught.
There are no formal periods of apprenticeship where the student is able to devote their entire time to learning music; the economic realities of rural life do not permit this.
Folk musicians must still attend to their normal duties of farming, hunting, or whatever their chosen occupation is.
Folk music is learned almost as if by osmosis. From childhood, the music is heard and imbibed as a simple matter of life.
There are many public activities that allow the villagers to practice their musical skills.
Folk music is an indispensable part of functions such as weddings, births and engagements.
There is a vast body of songs for each occasion.
There are also songs associated with harvesting and planting. In these activities, the villagers routinely sing of their fears, hopes and aspirations.
Folk music is also used for education.
There is a ceremony when a girl has her first period.
In this function, the elderly women in the village gather at the house (men are excluded), the girl is given her first langa and woni (the half sari which is worn by unmarried women), rich food and other presents.
At this time, the women sing songs that are extremely bawdy.
To an outsider, this would seem out of character for obviously respectable community members.
However, the purpose of such Folk Songs of Arunachal Pradesh is to provide the girl’s first instructions on her emerging womanhood and what her future duties as a wife will be.