Introducing the Folklore and Folklife
(FOFO) Study Project
Preliminary
Nepali Folklore Society (NFS) is running a project entitled “Folklore and Folklife Study Project: A Study of Living Cultural Heritage of Nepal”. with Finnish support under Local Cooperation. The project has 3 years and nine months’ duration, The project office is located at Bhatbhateni, Kathmandu. A brief introduction to the project is given here.
Rationale
So far, despite the several studies on Nepalese culture and living heritage, no extensive research has been done on ethnic communities of the country from the folkloristic point of view; and a scientific way of conserving the living cultural heritage of people is still lacking. NFS has initiated this project with the strong conviction that culture is not only one of the dimensions of public life and a matter of self-identity of the people, but also the basis of sustainable development. So, promotion of cultural heritage should be the part of a nation’s development efforts. We should know that developmental interventions cannot be sustainable, if they are made without properly understanding the local socio-cultural realities. Since the study of folklore covers a wide range of socio-cultural dimensions of the people’s life but still there is the lack of focus on this sort of study in Nepal, its research and systematic documentation was felt essential. Therefore, the project was designed and works have been initiated accordingly.
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Field Study Report
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Field study on the Gadharva folklore & folklife
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Under the Folklore and Folklife Study Project, we have completed the first 7 months of the first year. During this period, intensive research works have been conducted on two folk groups of Nepal: Gandharvas and Gopalis. In this connection, a brief report is presented here regarding the progress we have made as well as the achievements gained from the project in the attempt of exploring the folklore and folklife of the Gandharva community.
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Field study on the Gopali folklore & folklife
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As reported in the earlier issue of the Newsletter, Nepali Folklore Society has successfully conducted the field study among two folk groups of Nepal (Gandharvas and Gopalis) under the Folklore and Folklife Study Project. Out of these, the works completed in connection with the study of Gandharvas have already been reported earlier. So, hereby, we are reporting the activities conducted in course of studying the Gopali folk group under the same project. The topics that follow will describe the progress and achievements of the field study on this folk group.
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Field study on the Athpahariya folklore & folklife
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In the earlier issues of the Newsletter (volume 1 and 2), we had reported our studies on Gandharva and Gopali folk groups under the Folklore and Folklife Study Project. In the course of continuing the same project with Finnish support under Local cooperation, now we have completed several works related to the study of the third folk group – the Athpahariya Rai. Therefore, the activities completed in connection with the field research of this folk group are going to be reported here. The topics that follow will describe the progress of the field study along with its achievements.
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Field study on the Danuwar folklore & folklife
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In the earlier issues of the Newsletter (volume 1, 2 and 3), we had reported our studies on Gandharva, Gopali and Aathpahariya Rai folk groups under the Folklore and Folklife Study Project. In the course of continuing the same project with Finnish support under local cooperation, now we have completed several works related to the study of the fourth folk group – the Danuwars Therefore, the activities completed in connection with the field research of this folk group are going to be reported here. The topics that follow will describe the progress of the field study along with its achievements.
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Field study on the Meches folklore & folklife
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The reports of the studies on Gandharva, Gopali, Aathpahariya Rai and Danuwar folk groups under the Folklore and Folklife Study Project were presented in the earlier issues of the Newsletter (volume 1, 2, 3, and 4). As the project is continuing with Finnish support under local cooperation, we have completed the study of the fifth folk group – the Meches on various aspects related to the people and the culture. The activities completed in connection with the field research of this folk group are going to be reported here. The processes and the activities carrried on the field study along with its achievements are described in the following topics.
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Field study on the Tharu folklore & folklife
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The study of the sixth folk group – the Tharus on various aspects related to the people and the culture is also completed as the project is continuing with Finnish support under local cooperation. Five studies under the Folklore and Folklife Study Project have already completed on Gandharva, Gopali, Aathpahariya Rai, Danuwar and Meches folk groups and reported in the earlier issues of the Newsletter (volume 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5). This issues focusses on field research activities of Tharus. It concentrates on research methodology, achievments and success criterias. The following topics include the description of the processes and the activities carried on the field study along with its achievements.