For the 12 students from Government Model Residential School, Kulathupuzha, who participated in the Irula Dance (Irula Nritham) competition as part of the Kerala State School Arts Festival, the driving force to perform isn’t to be unique or exceptional, but to showcase a slice of their life on stage.
The team, comprising students from the Irula community, captivated the audience with their performance. With no dance master to guide them, they drew from their lived experience, choreographing and learning the dance on their own. P. Sreejith, a teacher from the school who accompanied the children says they didn’t need a teacher as the dance was ”in their blood”.
Offstage, after performing in the competition, as Class XII student Dinesh Kumar ululated a high pitched voice cut through the air, reverberating with a raw and strange emotional intensity, unlike anything one would usually hear.
“At times some of the members could get tired during the dance,” Dinesh said. “Then you ululate to draw their attention and infuse energy into the performance. The dance is usually performed around the dead. It is a way of bidding farewell to the dead, joyfully.”
It was only last year that five new tribal dances, Mangalam Kali, Paniya Nritham, Malapulaya Aattam, Paliya Nritham, and Irula Nritham, were introduced. In a short span, the dances have gained much popularity among the public.
M. Prasanth, a member of the Paliya tribal community in Kumily, Idukki, teaches the dance. “Earlier when these dances were included (in the festival) not everyone in the tribes was happy, as these dances are important for the community and are revered. But over time the sentiment has changed as more people are getting to know about it.”
Published – January 17, 2026 09:26 pm IST
