THE DARDS.
JANUARY 5, 1872.]
9
Yassen, Nagyr and Hunza people dance quickest; then come the Ghilgitis; then the Astoris;
jerking the body forward.
then the Baltis, and slowest of all are the
seuls were danced; sometimes a rude imita
Ladakis.
tion of the Indian Náchh; the by-standers clapping their hands and crying out “Sha básh;” one man, a sort of Master of Cere monies, used to run in and out amongst them, brandishing a stick, with which, in spite of his very violent gestures, he only lightly touched the
When all join in the dance, cheer or sing with gesticulations, the dance or recitative is called “thapnatt” in Ghilgiti, and “burró” in Astori. When there is a solo dance it is called “ nétt”
in Ghilgiti, and “nott" in Astori. Cheering is called “halamush” in Ghilgiti, and “halamüsh” in Astori. Clapping of hands is called “tza.” Cries of “Yū, Yū dea; tza theá, Hill Hiſ dea; Halamish theá; shabásh” accompany the perfor
to be principally engaged in moving or rather All sorts of pas
bystanders, and exciting them to cheering by repeated calls, which the rest then took up of
“Hić, Hill.” The most extraordinary dance,
The Pra
however, was when about twelve men arose to dance, of whom six went on one side and six on the other. Both sides then, moving forward,
sulki nate is danced by ten or twelve people
jerked out their arms so as to look as if they had
ranging themselves behind the bride as soon as
all crossed swords, then receded and let their
Imances.
There are several kinds of Dances.
This cus
arms drop. This was a war dance, and I was
In this dance men
told that properly it ought to have been danced
she reaches the bridegroom's house. tom is observed at Astor.
swing about sticks, or whatever they may happen
with swords, which however, out of suspicion of
to hold in their hands.
the Dogras, did not seem to be forthcoming.
The Buró natt is a dance performed on the Nao holyday, in which both men and women engage— the women forming a ring round the central group of dancers, which is composed of men. This dance is called Tappnate at Ghilgit. In Dareyl
movements becoming more and more violent till almost all the bystanders joined in the dance, shouting like fiends and literally kicking up a
They then formed a circle, again separated, the
there is a dance in which the dancers wield
frightful amount of dust, which, after I had nearly become choked with it, compelled me to
swords and engage in a mimic fight. This dance
retire."
the Ghilgitis and Astoris call the Darelá nate, but
sung the rythm and melody of it are given in
what it is called by the Dareylis themselves I do
“solo” by some one, for instance,—
not know.
The mantle dance is called Goja nat. In this Popular dance the dancer throws his cloth over his extended arm.
I may also notice that before a song is
Dână dang dini; dāngdà nādañg dānū, &c., &c., &c. (b.)—BEVERAGES.
-
When I sent a man round with a drum in viting all the Dards that were to be found at Ghilgit to a festival, a large number of men ap peared, much to the surprize of the invading
Dogras, who thought that they had run to the hills. A few sheep were roasted for their bene fit; bread and fruit were also given them, and
when I thought they were getting into good
humour, I proposed that they should sing. Musicians had been procured with great diffi culty, and after some demur, the Ghilgitis sang and danced. At first, only one at a time danced, taking his sleeve well over his arm so as to let
Peer-Fine corn (about five or six seers in Weight) is put into a kettle with water and boil ed till it gets soft, but not pulpy. It is then strained through a cloth, and the grain retained and put into a vessel. Then it is mixed with a
drug that comes from Ladak which is called “Papps,” and has a salty taste, but in my opinion is nothing more than hardened dough with which
some kind of drug is mixed. It is necessary that “ the marks of four fingers” be impressed upon the “Papps.” The mark of “four fingers” make one stick, “two fingers' mark half a stick, and so
forth. This is scraped and mixed
with the
it fall over, and then moving it up and down
corn. The whole is then Put into an earthen jar with a narrow neck, after it has receiv
according to the cadence of the music. The movements were, at first, slow, one hand hang
“d an infusion of an amount equal to the proportion of corn.
ing down, the other being extended with a
P" out into the sun–if
of
Water
The jar is
summer—for twelve commanding gesture. The left foot appeared days, or under the fireplace if in winter—
- The drawing and lººtiºn of this scene were given in the Illustrated London News of the 12th February 1870,
heading of “A Dance at Ghilgit,
under the
