THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The students trained in the 'Koonatta' dance of 'Kattunayakan' tribe who performed at the 'Sargotsavam 2018' at Nishagandhi auditorium on Monday were in high spirits. They belonged to the Rajiv Gandhi Model Residential School in Noolpuzha Wayanad. The students who had won the first place in the 'primitive dance' category last year were part of one of the earliest known inhabitants of the Western Ghats, who are engaged in collection and gathering of forest produce, mainly wild honey and wax.
"Kattunayakan tribes perform 'Koonatta' dance at marriage functions or at 'narmamodey', the cultural practice of celebrating the menstrual festival. 'Koonatta' means 'Kuninj Attam', the performers dance in a bent position," said M P Vasu, Malayalam teacher, Rajiv Gandhi Model Residential School.
'Koonatta' dance is performed by men and comprises of ten members in a group. One of the specialities of 'Koonatta' is that it does not have music in the background. Instead, the dance is performed following the instrumental beats of 'Kolalu', 'dumbetta' and 'chilanka'. "Kolalu is similar to flute but is made with forest grass and bamboo. 'jodumara', twin drums used to produce high tones and are made using deerskin and tree bark.
'Chilanka' will only be used by two members of the dance group," said Vasu. He also informed the entire group makes a long, wavering, high-pitched vocal sound resembling a howl or 'Kurava'. The members of the dance group wear a white shirt and white 'mundu' and a white piece of cloth on their right shoulder while performing 'Koonatta'. "We have been performing 'Koonatta' since our childhood.
We don't have a trainer or a coach. We are born into this form. It is a part of our life. I started dancing 'Koonatta' at the age of five at the 'Kaavu Ulsavam'- forest festival. Every single person in our 'kudi' knows 'Koonattam'. We watch it and learn it all by ourselves," said Sanjeev P S, 'Koonattam' performer and class XII student. The Malayalam language they speak is a mix of Kannada and is quite difficult for others to comprehend.