Folklore and class-consciousness/ লোকসংস্কৃতি ও শ্রেণি-চেতনা

Abstract

The word 'folk' in folklore has a special meaning. The 'folk' of folklore consists of the common people or more precisely the people of a cohesive society. Folklore cherishes group traditions; But not stagnant. Changes in production systems and social relations affect folk culture. But folk culture has a distinct historical character – which sets it apart from other cultural streams. Folk culture has a universal character – presenting to us a universal pattern of origin, evolution and overall creation of human society. Hence folk culture is called 'folk science'. Civilization is built on the foundation of folk society. The same applies to classic literature. Where is the lump in our folklore studies? It has become necessary to find an answer as to why a collective and spontaneous culture like folklore has gone astray in a tangle of extreme nationalism, religious bigotry, devotion and spirituality without instilling a sense of 'We the people'. I would like to present here a proposal by eminent folklorist Arunkumar Roy on the manner in which folk culture should be practiced. Arunkumar Roy proposed the practice of folk culture in the light of Marxian dialectic and historical materialist consciousness. Beyond religion, gotra, caste, he wants to judge folklore from the point of view of 'class'. So, he goes back to that primitive human society in the judgment of folklore -- to find the link between the present and the future.