Kolkkali

Understand

Where Kolkkali comes from

Kolkkali is a stick-dance of the Mappila community of the Malabar region of Kerala, distinct from but related to Kolkali (the Hindu Malabar stick-dance with similar elements). The Kolkkali form is performed by men in two facing rows, each dancer wielding a pair of small wooden sticks that are struck against the dancers' own bodies and against their neighbours' sticks in complex rhythmic patterns. The dance is a community performance at weddings, festivals and other Mappila celebrations. Its roots lie in the broader South Asian Kolattam tradition of stick-play, which is documented across Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

How it's practiced

Kolkkali is performed by two rows of men facing each other, each holding a pair of short wooden sticks. The dance proceeds through several rhythmic patterns — the leader calls a pattern, the ensemble responds with the appropriate stick-tapping sequence while stepping in coordinated footwork. The complexity of the patterns builds through the dance, and the tempo accelerates to a climactic end. Music is minimal — the sticks themselves provide most of the rhythm — though a small chorus or a vocalist may sing to accompany. Costume is the everyday Mappila dress of white kurta and white mundu, with the white topi for men.