A Study of theRole of Folk Songs in Preserving the Culture and Heritage: A Case Studyof Bodos

Abstract

The folk song is an important element which is preserved the cultural heritage of the community that receipt from the ancestorsand transformed itfrom one generation to another. It is the cultural sourceofthe community standing onwhicha society can give theiridentity.Thefolk song playsan important role in narrating past social picturesand unwritten history of the societythat are unknown by the people of present generation.In northeast India, the Bodos have their own distinct culturewhich gives their identity.The cultural elements of the community havebeen preserved in folk songs since immemorial period andreflected while these are sung in festivals and ceremonies. We know that through lyrical storytelling and symbolic imagery, folk songs offer insights into the customs, rituals, and folklore of the community, fostering a deeper appreciation for cultural diversity andintergenerational continuity. In thispaper,anattempt has been made to study how folk songs playarolein repositioning cultureandheritage, preservationof linguistic traditions, indigenous knowledges, and ancestral wisdoms.