Tribal Folktales and Women

This work examines whether women are confined to the traditional gender roles prescribed to them by the male dominant society or go beyond that to challenge it, through a content analysis of the folktales of the two tribes who adhere to two different social set up. One being patriarchal now (the Rabhas) and other being matrilineal (the Garos), these two tribes give us an immense opportunity to reflect on their status, manwoman relationship, role played by women in two contrasting cultures, and representation of women in their traditional roles and beyond. Women and folktales have a deep connection and it is mostly through women that folktales are transmitted from one generation to another , with that the beliefs, traditions, customs, taboos, thoughts and feelings, hopes and fears etc.of a society get incorporated and are kept in circulation. Comparison and contrast of women from two different social and cultural set ups through a study of their folktales provide us with tremendous insight into their life and living.