Mavilan
The Mavilan are a Scheduled Tribe of the Indian state Kerala. They inhabit the hill country of the Kannur and Kasaragod districts. They speak Tulu as their primary language and also have knowledge of Malayalam.[1]
Customs
[edit]The Mangalam Kali is a traditional dance performed by the tribe,[2] as is the Theyyam.[3]
Mangalamkali is a dance custom followed by the Mavilans. This work of art is firmly identified with the way of life of the ancestral networks who have joined Dravidian culture into their life. Both men and women take an interest in this dance custom which is performed at specific favorable events like relationships. The entertainers dance musically to the beat of a customary percussion instrument called Thudi and the going with people tunes.[4]
Etymology
[edit]The word Mavilan originates from 'Mavilavu' a herb which Mavilans traditionally use in herb medicines. Mavilans were also known as MERA(R)s, in Tulu language.
Lifestyle
[edit]They were traditionally hunter-gatherers and practised shifting cultivation. In recent times, their way of life has been affected by regulation of forest areas and by incursion of non-tribal communities.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "KIRTADS | MAVILAN". Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "Tribal art with the fusion touch". The Hindu. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
- ^ "Theyyam, of Kerala include Muslim characters". One India. 6 March 2008. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
- ^ "Mangalamkali - a tribal dance from Malabar | Kerala Artforms". www.keralatourism.org. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ Suresh, K. P. (2010). "Indigenous Agricultural Practices among Mavilan Tribe in North Kerala". Studies of Tribes and Tribals. 8 (2): 103–106. doi:10.1080/0972639X.2010.11886616.