Caste Oppression and Cultural Resistance in Tamil and Malayalam Dalit Folk Songs

Abstract

Tamil and Malayalam folk songs constitute significant forms of oral literature that preserve the lived experiences, labour, suffering, joys, and social struggles of ordinary people. Among these traditions, Dalit folk songs hold particular significance as expressions of the everyday experiences and collective memories of historically oppressed communities. These songs extend beyond entertainment and function as powerful cultural expressions of pain, resistance, the assertion of rights, and the aspiration for social liberation. They give voice to communities whose experiences and perspectives have often been excluded from dominant literary and historical narratives. This study examines the voices of resistance articulated in Dalit folk songs from Tamil Nadu and Kerala, focusing on their representation of social history, cultural memory, identity, and collective struggle. Particular attention is given to themes such as agricultural labour, wage-based livelihoods, caste-based oppression, poverty, untouchability, and gender inequality. The study also explores how these songs transform experiences of suffering into expressions of protest, self-respect, collective consciousness, and the demand for social equality. Through a comparative examination of Tamil and Malayalam folk traditions, it investigates the ways in which Dalit communities preserve their historical experiences and transmit their cultural memories across generations through oral performance and song. The study argues that Dalit folk songs are not merely records of social suffering but also significant forms of cultural resistance and emancipatory expression. They challenge caste-based hierarchies, question social injustice, and articulate aspirations for dignity, equality, and social transformation. Thus, Tamil and Malayalam Dalit folk traditions serve as important repositories of subaltern knowledge and collective identity, demonstrating the role of oral literature in preserving marginalized histories and advancing the discourse of social justice.