AFGHANISTAN TRADITIONAL DANCE

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              TRADITIONAL DANCE FORMS

ATTAN DANCE

Attan Dance: History, Styles, Clothing types, Music and More

From the mountains of Afghanistan, the Attan dance is a wonderful dance that has for quite some time been viewed as the public dance of Afghanistan. This society dance has been a necessary piece of individuals' way of life for quite a long time.

Known for its special style, music, and ensembles, on the off chance that you're hoping to get familiar with the Center East's way of life and its kin, the Attan dance is certainly a subject worth investigating.

In addition to the fact that it is a wonderful dance, yet it likewise holds critical worth to the Afghans' way of life and society. You'll find it performed by any means of the significant occasions in the neighborhood local area, like weddings and celebrations.

Needs to know more?

In this article, you'll get a top to bottom jump into the set of experiences, styles, clothing types, music, and a greater amount of the Attan dance.

What Is Attan Dance?

The Attan dance (Pashtun: اتڼ) is a social dance frequently acted in gatherings. The artists structure a circle and play out a progression of whirls and moves toward the mood of a drumbeat.

Generally, a Pashtun company plays out the dance, showing their military ability by waving swords and firearms in the air. A few clans substitute weapons for scarves.

Before, the dance was isolated, with ladies and men moving independently. In any case, in current times, clans have started to loosen up their guidelines.

Presently, you can see people dance the Attan together uninhibitedly!

The dance will be performed on the most exceptional and blissful events in the neighborhood local area. Strict celebrations, weddings, and other critical festivals in Afghan culture.

Attan Dance Beginning and History

Like most society moves, it's incredibly challenging to pinpoint precisely who, when, and even where the Attan dance became.

Most records just showed that it's a Pashtun hit the dance floor with "pre-Islamic" roots. In that capacity, the Attan dance might have been around since as far back as 3,300 - 1,300 BCE (quite a while back, plus or minus!)

Numerous verifiable records credited the Attan as initially having been a strict service of early Zoroastrianism.

Also, there are many references made to the Attan in Iranian folklore. Ruler Yama, a significant figure in the folklore, was composed as having played out the Attan with his heroes to observe Nawroz (Iranian New Year).

Records additionally showed that the Attan is performed toward the beginning of each and every conflict to inspire heroes to battle all the more wildly.

You might have seen that we've discussed "Iranian" folklore, culture, and individuals, despite the fact that we said before that the Attan dance is Afghan.

The dance really came from Pashtunistan, a verifiable locale situated on the Iranian level.

Today, this region is toward the south of Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan.

Attan Dance Styles

Attan, throughout the long term that it has been near, has been taken on and altered by numerous clans and individuals nearby.

Subsequently, various varieties of the Attan are being performed. Each accompanies its own styles, clothing types, and customs.

Kochai - Kochyano

The Kochai or Kochyano is a variety of the Attan in Afghanistan. The Kochyano Attan can be interpreted in a real sense as: "the Attan of the Kuchi."

Ladies regularly play out this Attan during unique events like labor, the new year (nou rooz), and the beginning of spring.

In the mean time, men perform it with long, straight-trim hair nearly arriving at their shoulders. They can likewise keep and style their stubbles into wild, rowdy mustaches.

During the dance, the entertainers will wind, turn, and break into squats to the beat of the music. Men might stroll with their knees twisted or stand erect while snapping their heads in irregular bearings to the beat of the Dhol.

With everything taken into account, the movement is very complicated and incorporates up to 10 distinct advances.

As they are an itinerant group, the Kochyano has been impacted by the way of life and moves of the many individuals and networks the clan had gone through.

It's the reason, assuming you're learned of all the society moves acted in the district, you'll track down numerous recognizable components between the Kochyano and different moves and varieties!

Loragai

The name "Loragai" alludes to the Afghan region of Logar.

Here, the artists of the customary kind of Attan are most popular for the cadenced breaks in the dance and music, as well as the delightful brand name turns that set the Loragai from all others.

The twist includes an entire 360-degree turn set up, finishing with an applaud.

As the artists move around all around, they'll bring their arms up in the air, which will meet up in a couple of applauds when they arrive at the focal point of the circle.

The dance circles of the Loragai are very exceptional: it's normal for there to be a couple of more modest circles inside the bigger one.

People regularly play out this dance. However, young men and young ladies can likewise try it out.

Men can decide to wear turbans as a component of their outfits. However, as the dance speeds up, they'll for the most part eliminate it so the perspiration on their temple will not saturate the material and burden their heads.

Paktiawal - Khostai

Paktiawal or Khostai comes from the Pashtun people group (called the "Zadrans" and "Mangals") living in the Paktia and Khost regions of Afghanistan.

The dance is by and large less complex than the Kochyano or the Loregai. The movement comprises of simply five to seven Attan dance steps (however it tends to be significantly longer in the event that the entertainer wishes).

The dance includes snapping the head left and right, prompting the long, dark hair of the artists to hurl through the air.

At last, the exhibition closes with the artists turning medially and crouching with their arms to their sides and towards the middle.

Shinwari

The Shinwari is performed by the nominal Shinwari clan, which lives in the Nangarhar territory of Afghanistan.

Wardag - Wardaki

Wardag - Wardaki is one more popular style of Attan, known as Da Wardag Attan.

Like the other Attan varieties, the Wardaki style includes fast body developments, turns, and curves.

As the artists turn and bend their bodies, they'll utilize hankies to complement their developments. One thing isolates the Wardag from the other Attan varieties: there's generally no applauding.

Men playing out the Wardaki Attan as a rule have mustaches and lubed hair. These cause their spotting developments to appear more appealing and add more weight to their hair as they turn and whirl.

In certain locales of Wardak, during the Wardaki (Wardagi) Attan, the main men, trailed by the rest, begin singing a melody toward the beginning of the Attan.

Afterward, as the speed gets and the dance gets quicker, they quit singing and spotlight all their energy on breaking and communicating the furious developments of the Attan.

Khattak

Dissimilar to different varieties, the Khattak comes from Pashtun clans that live in Pakistan. In any case, it imparts numerous attributes to its numerous Afghan partners, similar to the roundabout moving movement and the rambling beat of the drum.

In any case, as the tribesmen dance around all around, they likewise make jumping/skipping steps.

The Khattak likewise has an extremely military feel, with the artists ordinarily integrating swords and different weapons into their exhibitions, bending and whirling them around as they move.

Mehsud

The Mehsud Attan is an Attan style that began from the Mehsud Pashtun clan in Waziristan (a district in Pakistan).

During the exhibition, the male artists with long, glistening hair would flick it around while conveying weapons.

They would discharge their weapons high up as they bowed. The gunfire would make a reverberation that additional to the wild and glad energy of the dance.

Kabuli

The Attan has additionally been modernized lately by numerous artists and specialists nearby. What's more, the outcome is the Kabuli Attan.

It's very well known in the Afghan capital of Kabul. Also, it is frequently performed among non-Pashtun gatherings.

Kabuli is joined by current music. The artists move to the beat of the performer.

All kinds of people can play out this dance together, which comprises of just 2-5 stages, trailed by an applaud in the focal point of the dance circle prior to rehashing the cycle.

Typically, a presentation is joined by a live band, whose performers can direct the beat and the term of the dance freely as they play their instruments.

How To Do The Attan Dance?

The Attan, as you can see above, will contrast contingent upon the specific variety you're moving. In any case, you can gain proficiency with the fundamental, customary advances if you need to try it out.

Note that since this is a gathering, circle-style dance, you'll have to accumulate a gathering of companions or individuals who are likewise keen on figuring out how to attempt it best.

Step 1. Form A Circle

Start by shaping a circle with your kindred artists.

Hold each other's hands and forward-moving step with your right foot. Then, rehash with your left foot.

This will give the circle an undulating development.

Step 2. Make Arm Movements

Add some arm developments as you keep on moving all around.

You can raise your arms very high as you step toward the middle. Then, at that point, lower them as you step back to the beat of the music.

Step 3. Make Some Spins

Then, include a few twists.

Go on your right side with your arms broadened, then twist on your left side with your arms pulled in.

Step 4. Make Some Footwork

As you turn, add a footwork to it.

Step forward with your right foot and bring your surrendered foot to meet it. Then, at that point, step back with your left foot and withdraw your right foot.

Step 5. Make Some Clapping

Applaud together. Or on the other hand, you can applaud with individuals on one or the other side of you when you push toward the middle.

Step 6. Waving The Handkerchief

Contingent upon the style of Attan dance you are performing, you may likewise involve cloths as a prop.

Wave it in the air to emphasize your twists and contorts.

Attan Dance Costumes

The outfits for the Attan dance can change contingent upon the particular style and area in which it is performed. Notwithstanding, a few normal components can be found in Attan outfits.

Shockingly, during stupendous festivals, Attan artists generally don't wear customary pieces of clothing. All things being equal, they would wear Western-style formal outfits.

Ladies frequently wear dynamic and brilliant dresses. These dresses might highlight little mirrors that represent light, adding an additional component of sparkle as the artists move.

In certain variants of Attan, Pashtun men need to develop out their hair and flick it in round movements. Some might wear turbans, called Lungee, which hold incredible social importance since it demonstrates their ancestral connection.

Attan Dance Music & Instruments

In certain forms of Attan, Pashtun men need to develop out their hair and flick it in round movements. Some might wear turbans, called Lungee, which hold extraordinary social importance since it shows their ancestral association.

In most Attan styles (with the exception of Kabuli), conventional Afghan music is played and normally performs by a live band.

Performers play a wide assortment of instruments, for example, the dhol (a two-headed drum), the tablah (otherwise called a "challis drum", a kind of one-headed drum), and the zurna (a twofold reed woodwind instrument).

Contemporary varieties of the Attan, similar to the Kabuli, utilize present day music, which incorporates the utilization of electronic instruments and synthesizers.

Some Attan exhibitions even integrate famous Western melodies into the dance schedule.

Final Words

The Attan dance is a great representative of the Pashtun culture and people in Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

Despite the many variations that have been born over the centuries, the Attan remains an integral part of Pashtun culture and identity, representing the people’s unity, strength, and pride.

What’s your favorite part about the Attan dance? Tell us in the comments!