FROM FOLKLORE TO FUTURE: CULTURAL NARRATIVES, MUSIC, AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE AMONG ASSAMESE YOUTH

Climate change has emerged as a critical global crisis with profound ecological, social, and psychological implications, particularly in vulnerable regions such as Assam, India. The increasing frequency of floods, riverbank erosion, and climatic unpredictability has significantly affected the livelihoods and mental well-being of Assamese youth. This study explores the role of cultural narratives, including folklore and selected songs of Zubeen Garg, as tools for fostering psychological resilience in the face of climate-induced stress. Adopting a qualitative phenomenological approach, the research examines the lived experiences of youth from flood-prone districts and analyses how narrative forms facilitate emotional processing and adaptive coping. The study integrates theoretical perspectives from narrative psychology, particularly Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), to understand how storytelling and music help individuals structure traumatic experiences and restore continuity and identity. The findings indicate that Assamese folklore serves as a repository of ecological wisdom and collective memory, enabling youth to interpret environmental crises within a culturally meaningful framework. Simultaneously, songs such as “Rod… Rod Aji Keni Pau” and “Mayabini” by Zubeen Garg function as emotional narratives that articulate eco-anxiety, loss, and nostalgia, thereby facilitating psychological release and identity reconstruction. Furthermore, integrating cultural narratives with health and climate literacy enhances awareness, agency, and resilience among youth. The study concludes that culturally grounded narrative practices can serve as effective interventions for addressing climate-related psychological distress. It proposes a holistic model that bridges traditional knowledge systems with contemporary psychological frameworks, contributing to interdisciplinary discourse on climate change, mental health, and cultural studies.