Traditional Dance : Cultural Pluralism

 Dhamal is a dance form unique to the Siddi community. It is an expressive art of depicting the traditional practices in their lives, for example, their passion for hunting. In the olden days, Mashira Nritya was the dance performed by the Siddis to celebrate a successful hunt. The dance involves dancers swaying to the rhythmic beats of the dhol, or dhamal or mushira as known locally, as well as small dholkis. In some routines, they mimic animals movements and emotions to act out the scenes.

The men wear a piece of fabric and peacock feathers, with a waist belt and hardly anything above the waist. The women are draped in the tribal sarees with decorative leaves and waist belts. The costume always includes shells with the waist belts and patterned face painting (usually white-black dots and lines). Signature moves [according to the DeccanHerald] include launching coconuts into the air to have it crack on the skull and even sometimes dancing over burning embers (hot coal) barefoot.

The Siddi tribes around Gujarat region, also called the Sidi Goma or Siddis of Gir incorporate elements of local culture in their dance and music forms. While retaining the lineage of Sudanian culture, they produce this exquisite blend of culture.
The Dammal has found a new platform of ‘folk' dance festivals and touristic performances since the 1980s, paying homage to their African past with dance patterns and rhythmic movements. Their dance forms act as a tool to tie the community together and unitedly break free of the suppression they and their art forms faced during the reign of the kings and in modern times.

References:

● https://www.deccanherald.com/content/168104/siddi-dhamal-unique-dance-form.html ● ‘Fire Under My Feet’ by Ofosuwa M. Abiola

● https://youtu.be/6tu305UwX4E ● And Youtube videos for reference.

- Athena