The National School of Drama’s endeavour in holding the three-day long festival of Tribal Dance, Music and Drama named Adivasi Adivimb in Port Blair was to celebrate the age-old heritage of the original inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent that has largely went unnoticed. It has been the mission of NSD Chairman Ratan Thiyam to protect the culture of these people by showcasing some of their many customs of dancing, singing, crafts making and other allied practices. They tell tales of their past and hold the key which could unlock details of our parampara in the arts.
Scholar Kapil Tewary speaking about ‘Janjati Sanskriti Kala’ was definite that some traces of these arts formed the source of Bharata’s “Natya Sashtra”. Referring to parampara, Vasant Nirgune, a scholar related to mythological story of Bhils of Madhya Pradesh, traced the story of the creation of the dhol. He reiterated that sangeet is the most important part of tribal life. They live in harmony with nature.
The festival gave the gathered audience glimpses of the ‘adim swarup’ of the tribal people, presenting the popular ghumura, a traditional heroic dance of Kalahandi, Odisha. The sounds created by the dancers along with the sounds of instruments like ghumura, nishan, dhol, taal and madal which excited the soldiers to jump into the war-field were shown in a very spirited dance form.
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Deuris of Assam performed Bihu with dancers dressed in black skirts with richly coloured borders and red shawls. They made the gathered mass swoon with their joyful dance performed during harvest.
Chakri dancers of Rajasthan danced in chakkars to the singing of a song which said, “My lord/husband has gone to Delhi to bring me a saree and atar for my long braid, he is not home. My love has gone to Kalkatha I have given birth to my son.” Bamboo dancers of the Karen tribe who hailed from Burma, and later relocated to the Mayabunder tehsil of The Andaman and Nicober islands by the British during their penal settlements in order to clear forests, are naturally very artistic and love their dance and music. Their colourful dance in their ethnic costume was rhythmic and was the nucleus of their deep cultural heritage.
Nicobari people performed in their outfits made of banana leaves, worn round their waists over satin skirts. Their performance referred to the popular pig festival where they sing, dance and fight with the pig, before catching it and preparing a feast with its meat.
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The Ghasiya tribe of Baghelkhand, Madhya Pradesh performed amazing physical feats and whistled with drummers somersaulting with drums hung around their necks.
The Rathwas of Gujarat performed Holi dance which is a unique dance where in they form a number of pyramids signifying the making of the temple to pray to Holi Mata.
The performance culminated into a girl dressed as the Goddess being carried on camel’s back through a clever formation of dancers.
It was followed by performances by Nagas and Santhals.