Dance, folk songs and other kinds of art are found everywhere in primitive societies. Dance and folk songs are inseparable parts of the life of the primitive people in India. None of their social or religious function is complete without dance and folk songs. Primitive people generally dance in a group accompanied by a bad-music. Different kinds of musical instruments like drums and pipe, etc., are used.
These generally dance in a circle. Men and women, all take part in a dance. A difference in dress of dancers, their styles and gestures, etc., is found in different primitive people. People wear masks of various kinds at the time of dancing in certain places.
They decorate their heads with bones, peacock feather and many other things of the kind. The importance of dance in the cultural life of primitive people is very great. Boys and girls in every tribe are therefore given a training in dancing. Dancing is taught in children-nurseries among Gond, Muriya and other primitive tribes.
Folk songs are in vogue everywhere among the primitives. Just as no social and religious function is complete without dance, in the same way they include also the folk songs in their functions.
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On different occasions, different folk songs are sung according to the occasion. For example, on marriage occasion, songs connected with the married-couple, are sung; on religious functions, songs connected with deities are sung. Women sing folksongs in their houses while they are working. Men sing folk-songs while working in the fields.
The thoughts and sentiments of the primitives are expressed clearly from these folk-songs. Boys and girls are given a practice in singing folk-songs of their tribe as is done in dancing. The effect of the geographical situations of their places on their lives is very great.
Their lives are tied to the soil and nature of the place where they live. All these impress their folk-songs also. These folk-songs also help in getting knowledge about the culture of the primitive societies.
Dance and folk songs have great importance in social life, group- feeling in primitives is maintained by taking part in them and their unity remains firm. It is a means of recreation for them and their sentiments are displayed.
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It increases their enthusiasm for social functions and it brings joy in life. Folk-songs remove their tiresomeness at the time of work and make the singers fresh. The culture of the tribes is communicated from one generation to another through dance and folk-songs.
Men and women get a chance to come into contract with one another by participating in them and it also gives strength to their collective organization. It is an inseparable part of primitive life.