SHAMANIC RITUALS AND THE SURVIVAL OF ENDANGERED TRIBAL LANGUAGES – AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL STUDY OF RAWLA LANGUAGE
Authors :Indu V. Menon
Abstract
In many indigenous communities, particularly tribal communities, there exists a system of
dialogue and conversations with and between supernatural beings and the supernatural world they
inhabit, as well as their transmigration into a human’s body. The supernatural world could be the
realm of the gods, or of the spirits of ancestors, or of satanic evil spirits. It is not possible for the
ordinary person to have a dialogue with them. The magical skill of enabling this dialogue is
referred to as Shamanism. A Shaman can bring to earth, and communicate with tribal or cult
gods, or control spirits, ancestors and animals and birds with his supernatural powers. Beyond
these powers, shamanic rituals have a linguistic significance. In communities where there is a
strong shamanic tradition, the shamans and his associates generally use the traditional language in
its original form, without diluting its unique features. The songs used in the rituals would be in
the traditional tribal language, uncontaminated by recent linguistic incursions. This is particularly
seen in religious rituals involving the sending off of the spirit of a deceased person to the
ancestors.
This study is related to Gaddika, the shamanic ritual of the Rawla tribe, which is a
prominent tribal community in Kerala, and about the songs that are part and parcel of this ritual.
The study also examines how much the Rawla dialect is retained in its original form, and the
tribal myths that are woven into the language of the ritual. The Rawla language belongs to the
Dravidian family, and is passed on in oral form only. In the Gaddika ritual, the original language
is widely used and forms an important aspect for the survival of the language. This study has been
conducted among the Rawla community, through observations during several Gaddika rituals,
and documenting the songs and ritual dialogues. The study also analyses the shamanic ritual and
its discourses. It attempts to document the language in its original form and structure and along
with it the prominent myths that have been passed on through generations. Through this process,
a precise analysis of the survival of the language is also attempted. The study concludes that
shamanic discourses and magico-religious rituals have a vital role to play in the continuity and
survival of the original dialect, and such communities where these rituals continue to hold a
prominent place in their daily lives would ensure the usage and of their traditional language.
