REFLECTIONS ON FOLK SONGS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS: AN OVERVIEW

Abstract

In the olden days, Igbo people did not derive entertainment from books rather they developed and derived joy from imaginations through oral narratives including traditional (folk) music and dance. Folksongs represents a big part of the African culture. In African society as well as Igboland, folksong is one of the tools used to explain oral traditions and expressions are used to pass on knowledge, cultural and social values and collective memory. In addition, they play a crucial role in the sustenance of culture with the progress of time. In Africa generally, music play an important part in the lives of the people and one of the major characteristics of African music (folksong) is that it has functions. And this paper tends to look at the various functions of folksongs and the need for its continuous existence in the society.