Dissent and Consent in Sitthanis: The Public Sphere in Folkloric Tradition of the Punjab

Abstract

This essay explores Sitthani, a Punjabi folkloric tradition, as a performative cultural practice that negotiates dissent and consent within the framework of the public and private spheres. Situating Sitthanis within the ritual context of marriage ceremonies in Punjab, the study examines how these songs, characterized by scathing criticism, vulgarity, and explicit language, function as culturally sanctioned expressions of resistance. Through performative anger, mockery, and subversive speech, Punjabi women articulate agency and challenge patriarchal norms governing caste, gender, morality, and consent. Drawing on theories of public sphere, performativity, and sonic agency, the essay argues that Sitthanis operate as a dialogic site where women reclaim visibility and voice in socially stratified contexts. Rather than radical rebellion, this dissent emerges as a culturally embedded modality of resistance, underscoring the emancipatory potential of folkloric expression in sustaining alternative narratives of identity and autonomy.