Folk songs from the anthropological perspective

Fatimah Zikri
Tunisian

The folk song is a rich and important subject for anthropologists because it is a form of creativity distinguished by its spontaneous performance and dissemination. Folk songs are a valuable form of the oral traditions that enable cultures to emphasise their identities.

In order to study folk songs from an anthropological perspective, we must consider some issues related to social and cultural aspects:
Folk song is an important means of expressing an individual’s emotions and ideas.
Folk song is a form of recreation and entertainment in several societies.
Both oral and written folk songs include symbolic expressions.
Folk songs accompany activities such as farming.
Folk songs emphasise and reinforce social standards.
Folk songs help to promote integration when individuals gather together to achieve a social or cultural objective.

It is now clear that the anthropological study of the folk song facilitates our understanding of it and the extent to which it helps to reinforce cultural and social aspects of a particular society. Folk songs reflect various aspects of life, allowing us to analyse a society’s social and cultural reality.

The folk song is a product of social and cultural elements, and it is influenced by a society’s customs and traditions. This may explain why the study of folk songs is a priority for folk heritage specialists.
In conclusion, the folk song is created within the framework of reality and the dominant culture, which makes it a subject for anthropological study. In fact, when we examine the social and cultural factors that influence a song, we must also explore customs and traditions.