The Warli Tribe and Their Dance

Last night we received such a treat!  Brother Maxim, one of the Jesuits we stayed with, took us to a village where the Warli people live.  The Warli's are tribal people...I explained in a previous entry that the tribals are ethnic descendents of the people who were here before the Aryan invastion.  We call these sorts of people indigenous people (what other indigenous people do you know about in the world, students?).

 

The tribal people have a different sense of time that many of us city folk.  For example, we arrived "on time," but still we waited around for an hour while some young boys went to call all the families from the village.  Slowly, as dusk fell and the stars came out (Orion's Belt was directly over our head), we talked with each other as villagers arrived.  Finally, they invited us into a building, lit lamps, gave us chairs to sit on, and then the explosion of sound and music began.  The women sat in a corner and sang and smiled while the men moved in a strong, captivating rhythm.  The tribals have an "animist" religion; rather than believing in all the main Hindu gods, they believe in the "gods of the environment."  So this dance was all about the fish and the trees and the grain.  It was so powerful, and hilarious.  During parts of the song and dance, they improvised little "skits" between each other, and teased the women, and everyone was laughing.  Laughing while they prayed (because for them, dance is a prayer.  No one ever prays alone, or quietly; always in a group, and always through song and dance). 

 

At the end, Brother Maxim spoke to the people in Marathi.  (I was so proud of myself; I understood some of what he said; my language skills are getting better and better).  He was telling them how beautiful their culture is, and how important it is that they keep dancing.  There are many forces that are making it difficult for these tribal people to keep their culture.  There is something called "Special Economic Zones" that make it legal for the government to take the tribal lands away from them (basically, turning them into slaves on their own land).  In fact, many factories that make goods for people in America are made on this lands, and the tribal people have no where to farm.  There are also the pressures that come with movies and other city culture; many young tribal people who become educated leave the village, or at least, take on western culture.  The people need to hear over and over again how important and beautiful their culture is, and they also need political support so that they don't lose their land.

 

We were so inspired by the energy, passion, and care they expressed through their dance.  AT the very end, we told them that we had come because we are interested in intercultural interaction and creating world peace.  The women were so grateful to meet Americans who care about peace, that they touched our feet as a sign of respect.  (The common image of Americans here is that we like to buy things and we like to make war with others; they were shocked to meet Americans who are the opposite of this image). 

 

It was a wonderful experience, possibly the highlight of our trip in India.

Here is a picture of some Warli artwork; the man in the picture is Wendell, another Jesuit priest. Can you see the dance in the artwork? Can you see any other images of daily life? (I think Warli art is a lot like Kevin F.'s doodling art; KEvin, do you agree?)

From India Part IV...