Arabana Muttu performance in Qatar

Arabana Muttu performance in Qatar
Devotional Songs, Dance on Knees and Tambourines
A film by Rolf Killius for the Qatar Digital Library.
Arabana (or aravana) muttu is one of the important vocal and percussion dance genres of the Maplah community from Kerala in south India.
These dancers and chanters belong to the Maplah community who have settled in Qatar. Maplah are descendants of Arab seafarers and Kerala women and till today live in the coastal areas of northern Kerala and in the Arabic countries around the Gulf.
Arabana muttu belongs to the genre of devotional Islamic music sung in Arabic mixed with the south Indian language, Malayalam. The veneration of Allah and his prophet Mohammed is central to the lyrics. Eight male dancers and singers support themselves on the arabana, a small tambourine frame drum of Arabic origin. In kneeling position the artists dance in cycles and at the same time sing in call-and-response style and attractively whirl the drums around their bodies. The group is led by Ashif Usman.
The piece was recorded on 16/12/2013 in Doha, Qatar.
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