Open AccessOmani Folk Tales: Anthropological Approach to Understand Social Culture Meanings
Author(s) -
Aida Fouad Elnabalawi
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of arts and social sciences/mağallaẗ al-ādāb wa-al-ʿulūm al-iğtimāʿiyyaẗ
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2522-2279
pISSN - 2312-1270
DOI - 10.24200/jass.vol7iss2pp347-371
Subject(s) - folklore , folk culture , context (archaeology) , sociology , reading (process) , population , linguistic context , anthropology , aesthetics , history , linguistics , art , archaeology , linguistic analysis , philosophy , demography
This study aims to provide an anthropological reading of some Omani folk tales and discusses them within their context and by their methodological dimensions. The study is also an attempt to classify folk tales. The research paper argues that folk tales have significant social and cultural semantics disclosed by the contents of their events. Folk tales have an important role in supporting the system of social values and cultural norms. Methodologically, this study is a descriptive research from an anthropological approach and uses its tools in the field study. The population study is located in the District of Bahla in the Governorate of Dakhlia. The results conclude that the content of the folk tales reveal the scope of the inherited norms and traditions and their vital role in supporting the social and cultural system, and in maintaining the folklore standards. Despite the threats to cultural values, new forms of folk tales representations in the cultural and artistic scene are taking place in the modern societal trends scene.