O’ Lovely Parrot: Vestiges of a Diasporic Jewish Culture

Abstract

This article tries to look into the concept of Diaspora manifested through the folk songs of the Cochin Jews which celebrates a rich culture and literature. What is known as ‘Jewish music’ today is thus the result of complex historical processes. But it is to be observed that it is also cornered on the pretext that Cochin Jewish Songs carries certain religious significances only. The article tries to take a peep into the primary source, “Oh! Lovely Parrot” a compilation of 43 Jewish Malayalam folk songs. The songs in this excellent collection represents a number of little-looked-at corners of Jewish music culture, enacting their diasporic identities through their unique narrative network which include songs, stories and memories.