HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies Volume 38 Number 2 Article 27 December 2018 Review of Recasting Folk in the Himalayas: Indian Music, Media, and Social Mobility by Stefan Fiol Victoria M. Dalzell Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya Recommended Citation Dalzell, Victoria M.. 2018. Review of Recasting Folk in the Himalayas: Indian Music, Media, and Social Mobility by Stefan Fiol. HIMALAYA 38(2). Available at: https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya/vol38/iss2/27 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. This Review is brought to you for free and open access by the DigitalCommons@Macalester College at DigitalCommons@Macalester College. It has been accepted for inclusion in HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Macalester College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. through modernist reform” folk musicians with whom Fiol (p. 103)—as well as the paradox of worked contended that folk music “the folk”—that it is both something was not static; rather, it was an ever- to be celebrated and simultaneously evolving resource that artists used ashamed about. Ethnomusicology’s to convey meaning to current events understanding that music is a (p. 83). Yet the emergence of the process, not just a product, allows vernacular music industry and the Fiol to elucidate these paradoxes, creation of an Uttarakhandi “brand” forefront the agency of people in crystalized certain linguistic and these processes, and show readers musical elements for the purposes of why examining “the folk” remains an regional representation. The story important component of Himalayan Fiol tells in this chapter is not a new studies. one, but focusing on Negi and his work demonstrates what revival, Chapters One and Two provide assimilation, and cosmopolitanism historical and conceptual frameworks looks like in practice. for the other chapters. The first chapter traces how colonial I read Chapter Four as the heart of administrators and the elite the book. In it, Fiol addresses the constructed “the folk” in effort to proverbial elephant in the room: while categorize, define, and subdue the folk music is desirable, folk bodies people of the region now known are not. Fiol introduces the concept as Uttarakhand. Fiol succeeds in of rhizophonics to analyze how the humanizing the actors implicated folk music industry has separated the in this process without endorsing folk music’s sound from hereditary Recasting Folk in the Himalayas: their methods or all their results. musicians who have historically Indian Music, Media, and Social He also draws parallels between the performed it. Fiol defines rhizophonics Mobility. construction of “the folk” in India as the separation and reconfiguration and other parts of the world without of the relationship between a sound Stefan Fiol. Urbana, IL: University of overgeneralization. In Chapter and its source. Fiol does not frame Illinois Press, 2017. 228 pages. ISBN Two, Fiol discusses how the cultural these reconfigurations as inherently 9780252082757. policies of Nehruvian India enabled bad; rather, he claims, “not all the elites to use emerging media forms— elements involved in [rhizophonic] Reviewed by Victoria M. Dalzell radio, recordings, as well as writing distribution have the same ethical “The folk” is not a new concept for and academic study—to codify and claim” (p. 106). This concept allows South Asia or the Himalayas. Yet assimilate folk music into national him to demonstrate why music is instead of taking this category for imaginaries. Together, these two socially mobile, but the musicians granted, Stefan Fiol examines how chapters situate the book within who have historically played it are people—specifically musicians and existing literature on folkloricization not. Through the experiences of one scholars—have constructed and and lay the historical groundwork for hereditary drummer—Sohan Lal—Fiol deployed it within the Himalayan the following chapters. shows how studio processes separate context. Using the folk music folk sound from the folk body, and Throughout his work, Fiol makes recording industry that shaped how musicians continue to experience familiar theoretical concepts tangible Uttarakhandi geet (in this case, caste discrimination while their by demonstrating how they play out popular song) as a case study, Fiol music becomes upwardly mobile. In in people’s work. In Chapter Three, successfully denaturalizes the this chapter, Fiol details the musical Fiol examines the career of folk artist process of folkloricization—“the components of the Shilpkar drumming Narendra Singh Negi to show how selective adoption of elements from repertoire, and outlines the different folk music has moved from a caste narrative and musical performance value systems that guide ritual, occupation to “a commercial brand rooted in the village practice and community performances and studio that represents the new regional state the adaptation of these elements to recordings. Fiol’s analysis also serves and can appeal to diverse audiences cosmopolitan performance media to justify his own suspicions about at home and abroad” (p. 103). The 142 | HIMALAYA Fall 2018 Fiol introduces the concept of rhizophonics to analyze how the folk music industry has separated the folk music’s sound from hereditary musicians who have historically performed it. Victoria M. Dalzell on Recasting Folk in the Himalayas: Indian Music, Media, and Social Mobility initiatives that seek to “preserve” folk jagar have absorbed concepts of work is clearly rooted in Himalayan music, but do not directly benefit or both pan-regionalism and the folk. studies but is not Nepal-centric, involve folk musicians. Through the career of ritual specialist while it demonstrates the continued and folk musician Pritam Bhartwan, interactions of national and regional Fiol applies the concept of Fiol puts jagar at the center of the imaginaries through folk music in rhizophonics to gender, specifically folk paradox: as a mark of regional South Asia studies. The relatively women, in Chapter Five. He spirituality, it is something people short length of the book—the main uses this concept to show how are proud of, yet aspects of the ritual text is less than 200 pages—will make folkloricization does not have the practice make it something many are it attractive to instructors. same outcomes for everyone. By still embarrassed about. Focusing on examining the folk music careers In conclusion, Fiol’s deconstruction Bhartwan’s experiences allows Fiol to of two women artists of different of the folk concept in Uttarakhand, demonstrate the status negotiations caste backgrounds—Meena Rana, India allows him to forefront people’s that take place within and around a middle-class recording artist, agency and the uneven consequences jagar rituals, not just on an individual and Bachan Dei, a hereditary of folkloricization. His work examines basis but also as a region. performer—Fiol demonstrates important themes for religious how rhizophonic processes have The greatest strength of Fiol’s work studies, South Asia and Himalaya simultaneously erased women is the stories of individual musicians area studies, and folk studies, and in some areas (such as live that illustrate folkloricization’s its grounding in ethnomusicology performances) but allowed women consequences and benefits. This prevents it from being fragmentary. a role in others (like the recording aspect gives the book wide teaching While the interdisciplinary nature of industry). The experiences of these applicability. Individual narratives Fiol’s work will initially attract a wide two women demonstrate how and detailed descriptions of folk audience, its focus on people will multiple meanings of “folk” exist music components and recording keep readers engaged. side-by-side. Folk is both “a set processes are not overwhelmed by Victoria M. Dalzell is an of genres or stylistic conventions the theoretical framing, which makes ethnomusicologist whose work focuses that may be selectively added the work accessible to undergraduate on ethnicity, ritual, and belonging. Her to a performance” (for Meena students. Consequently, this work research in Nepal’s Tharu communities Rana), as well as (for Bachan Dei) would meet the objectives of many has appeared in the journals Studies in “a liminal social position that is upper-division music courses on Nepali History and Society, and Asian incommensurable with regional South Asian or Himalayan music to Music. Her current project examines the modernity” (p. 156). Through introduce students to the sounds and congregational song practices of Christian these case studies, Fiol illustrates cultural placement of so-called folk Nepalis. She received her PhD from the the complicated consequences and popular music traditions. This University of California Riverside. of folkloricization: not everyone same theoretical scope makes it a experiences the same outcomes. good fit for graduate seminars. Fiol’s introduction and conclusion lay out Throughout his book, Fiol upsets the work’s contributions for readers, binaries within South Asia studies. and it can be read in conjunction In Chapter Six, he shows how the with theoretical works on folklore. boundaries between high religion Its setting in Uttarakhand makes and folk religion are blurred within it a good fit for courses framed as jagar rituals. As possession rituals South Asia or Himalayan studies. His particular to the Uttarakhand region, HIMALAYA Volume 38, Number 2 | 143.