MAPPILAPPAATTU AND OPPANA: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL NOTE ON MAPPILA SONGS AND PERFORMING ART
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v4.i2.2023.2376Keywords:
Mappila, Arts, Mappilappaattu, Oppana, CultureAbstract [English]
The Muslim population of Kerala state is known as the Mappilas. The community is formed due to commerce between the Arabians and the Malabarians. Indigenous culture had a significant effect on Mappila's arts and ceremonies. The Mappilas created a distinctive cultural pattern that encompassed a variety of artistic aspects, including their traditional song, Mappilappaattus, and one of the most exquisite performing arts, Oppana. Most scholarly research on Mappilas is historical and ignores anthropological elements like arts and rituals. Thus, this essay aims to offer an anthropological perspective on Mappila songs, known as Mappilappaattu and the performing art of Mappila women, known as Oppana. While examining the nature of Mappilappaattus and its many genres, this research highlights that the secularised Mappilappaattus, which was primarily romantic in substance, drew people from beyond the Mappila community. Oppana also had a secular and romantic tone, which appealed to the public. The popularity of Mappilappaattus and Oppana can be explained, for example, by looking at the history of Malayalam films. Mappilappaattu and Oppana were staples of Malayalam film from the beginning of the 1950s.
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