Socio-cultural and Literary Potential of the Traditional Odia Oral Narratives: A Critical Review

Abstract

- The paper aims to evaluate the sociocultural and literary potential of the age-old popular Odia oral literature, which includes folk songs, lullabies and rhymes, which are variously known as Nanabaya geetas. There are popular oral songs like Chakulia Panda gita, Kendara gita, Halua Gita, Janughantia gita, and Kelakeluni gita, professionally sung by people on different occasions. Also, it includes a critical discussion of popular folk stories and poetic plays in the light of their popularity, highlighting eco-consciousness, delicate sociocultural bonds, and spiritual and moral matters. At first, it presents the factual contents of such literature briefly; then focus shifts to the discourse aspects of such writings, focusing on how it impacts motivating children; provides entertainment to all; and marks timely celebrations in the voices of parents and grandparents, ploughmen, tribal and people of specific communities like Baishnab, snake charmers, professional folk dancers and troupe performers of people's plays and hosts of similar such category of performers those who live on this. It is evident from the analysis that such oral narratives are not only embedded with sociocultural, artistic and moral values but also treasures of literary values reflecting on emotional, nostalgic and carnivalesque tempo altogether. What is more, they disseminated the traditional knowledge systems of Odisha too.