International Journal of Social Science Research (IJSSR)

Acoustic Narratives: An Analysis of Folk Music and the Discursive Construction of Regional Identity in Odisha

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of folk music in Odisha in discursively constructing regional identity through the use of folk music as a cultural and semiotic source of expression. It aims to know how folk traditions of acoustic storytelling express collective memory, societal values, and localised systems of knowledge and thus define a sense of belonging together. The research uses a qualitative interpretive approach that is based on the theory of cultural identity and representation, which is developed by Stuart Hall, and the notion of discourse, developed by Michel Foucault. The paper examines the negotiation of meaning through close textual analysis of the lyrics in the chosen folk songs and ethnographic analysis of performance situations within particular cultural contexts. It is a hybrid theoretical perspective that allows a critical analysis of folk music as a representational and a discursive practice. The results demonstrate that folk music in Odisha functions as an essential cultural text that encompasses historical awareness, ecological links and socio-cultural stratifications. Such songs are not only a way to maintain indigenous epistemologies, but also to create regional identity by strengthening symbols, rituals, and histories of belonging. Furthermore, the paper reveals the dynamic tension between continuity and change, especially with the folk traditions adjusting to the new media and new socio-economic realities. The paper will conclude that folk music is a living archive and a discursive place that regional identity is constructed and reimagined. It highlights the role of working with vernacular forms of expressiveness in cultural studies in order to gain more insight into the multidimensional aspects of identity construction in the regional contexts.