Nepali Folk Songs in the Context of Transnational World

Abstract

This research explores how Nepali folk songs create a nation through different media from the country to transnational spaces. The folk songs can be regarded as important sites where nationalism comes to be sung and performed. These musical narratives have become the means of carrier of a nation with migrants, travelers, or artists into different geographical locations.The research takes theoretical insight on nationalism, trans-nationalism and diaspora, and analyzes the nine selected Nepali folk songs which sing the sense of belongingness, glorify history, celebrate unity in diversity, and provoke national integrity projecting social, economical and cultural changes, and different political movements in Nepal.On the basis of three different transitions in the trajectory of Nepal’s history–end of Rana oligarchy in 1951 and beginning of Democracy, end of Partyless Panchy at system and re-establishment of Democracy and end of Shah Dynasty and beginning of Republic Democracy in 2006– folk songs reflect the socio-political and cultural changes happening in the country and transcending them into transnational spaces.This research, thus, reveals that Nepali folk songs embody the socio-aesthetic values with different cultural and political transformation and project people as effective mediums in promoting nationalistic identities within the country and beyond.