Folk Arts an Alternative Communication Method: A Comparative Analysis with Mass Media

Abstract

Communication has a place, at each stage of every human being to be a member of society and to enable him/her to move around and stabilize him/her in the society; communication is the basis of meaningful existence. But, in the context of commercialized communication channels: particularly mass media that has become more profit-oriented, the need arises to find an alternate Communication which put forward as a medium for the people and by the people, to fill the gap and shortcomings that prevalent in the current mass media. The people who have been neglected/expelled by the mass media should get the opportunity to voice their needs through this alternative communication. Alternative media differ from mass-media that government and corporate interests and keep distant from the public. Thus, this study critically analyses the shortcomings and weaknesses of mass media and analyze the worth of folk-art as an alternate medium of communication which is expressed by way of entertainment, or as a ceremony, or a social function, where there is a space utilizes for communication. The field observation and examination on the selected local Tamil folk arts found that the how the space, time, and the participation of the people in a performance of folk-art make the communication reliable and closer and strengthen the relationship. Further, the study revealed that not only as creativity and aesthetics, but folk-arts also touch the emotions and sentiments of the grassroots and other dimensions as well, and absorb them. The study established that those who are engaged in folk communication how pass the ‘I’ state and reach the state of ‘We’ and achieving this ‘We’ is the uniqueness and specialty of folk communication. At the same time, the investigation emphasized the folk media which gives the opportunity to the people by mentioning their identity, having physical access to the message, culture-based, people-centered, supported by indigenous knowledge, socialized, participative, maintain an equal status to sender and receiver, transparent compared to the mass media forms.