The Cross link of Theyyam and Local History

The myths and legends of the Theyyam deities. often relate to the local heroes and heroines. Some of their songs reflect certain episode from the local history. Divinity to these heroes had been attributed by the society. The medieval heroes like Kathivannur veeran, and Thacholi othenan were characters from local history. They were defied and worshipped for their heroism. The goddess New Bhagavathy and Makkam were heroines of tragic stories. Makkam was considered to be an immoral woman by her beloved brothers. The jealousy of their wives made her a victim of their suspicion. The brothers dropped her and children in a deep well. Later she was elevated as a goddess and she was a chaste woman. This episode from local family history provided the theme for a Theyyam goddesses. A local chieftain wanted to molest a woman who had lost her several children. Her protest against the chieftain resulted in to the punishment by throwing her in a leaky country boat floated on a river. Burning fire wicks were also placed on her head. Later the memory of this woman was kept alive, by the society who elevated her to a goddess named Puthiya Bhagavathy. This Bhagavathy is a disease mother and a goddess of small pox. Many other stories like these could be traced from the myths and legends of several Theyyam gods and goddesses with deep roots in local history.

Different Categories of Kerala Folklore includes:

AiverNaatakam,

Bhagavathipaattu,

Chakyarkoothu,

kaakkarissi naatakam,

Kalaripayattu,

kavadiyattom,

Kathakali,

Koodiyattam,

Kothaamooriyaattam,

Krishnanaattam,

Kummattikali,

Maargamkali,

Mohiniattam,

Mudiyettu,

Ottanthullal,

Oppana,

Patayani,

Pulikali,

Pulluvapaattu,

Theyyam,

Thirayaattam,

Thullal,

Velakali.

Types of Folklore

Myths try to explain the why of what happens in our lives, deaths, and the forces of nature. Why are there lights in the sky? Why do we have cold winters and hot summers? Why do leaves change in autumn? The heroes and heroines of such stories are often called gods and goddesses, and may be based on actual people. This is the earliest form of folklore, usually separated as higher in thought from the other types in that is considered as old religion, sually not in current common practice. Some of them are purely memory devices used by the ancients, many with intentional meaning, which are hard to separate from actual belief.

Fables teach people how they should live. Often the characters are animals which are thinly disguised people or types of people. A moral is stated at the end. A Greek slave named Aesop collected fables. Other famous collectors were Geoffrey Chaucer and Jean de la Fontaine.
Legends teach, but are closer to life than fables. They may be partly true about actual people and/or events. Often humans and supernatural creatures exist together. Examples are the legends of King Arthur and of Robin Hood
Fairy Tales are meant to entertain, slipping in the author's views about life. Usually it contains a command which if broken will cause trouble, a way of reminding children and underlings to do as they are told. It happens in an unreal world full of supernatural events and the use of magic by both good and evil characters. Cinderella, for instance, is a story which could not have happened without the magical intervention of a fairy godmother, but she must leave the ball before midnight.

Theyyam - A Historical Aspects

The earliest Brahminic settlements like Payyanur and Perimchellur (Thaliparamba) in Kolathunadu where the Brahminic religion was propagated through the institutions of temples largely influenced the popular folk religion based on Theyyam and other tribal cults. According to the legendary Keralolpathi, Parasurama sanctioned the festivals like Kaliyattam, Puravela and Deivattam or Theyyattam to the people of Kerala. He assigned the responsibility of Theyyam dance to the indigenous communities like Panan, Velan and Vannan. These traditions explain how the indigenous cults like Theyyam were incorporated and metamorphosed under the religious supremacy of the Brahmanism. In the long historical process a social system evolved in Kerala in which the little culture like Theyyam belonged to the depressed castes and classes where as the temple oriented culture belonged to the dominant castes and classes. There were no violent confrontations between these two cultures as there was no total destruction of the indigenous culture. “There can be no doubt”, say Bridget and Raymond Alchin, ‘that a very large part of this modern folk religion is extremely ancient and contains traits which originated ruing the earliest periods of Neolithic , Chalcolithic settlement and expression (The Birth of Indian Civilization 1968 p.3039).

Theyyam Songs

Teyyam Songs
The full throated singing of tottam songs in the open air, the subdued articulation of the tottam (revelations) and the inaudible chanting of the mantras form different variations of using the inner energy that gushes out while the Teyyam dancer is in a possessed state. The folk singer while he sings out in a loud voice, accompanying the dancing or along with his own dancing steps, uses simple but effective language and straight but thought provoking images. The images reflect his own surroundings charged with an organic strength. Most of these songs are not recorded. They belong to the oral tradition maintaining their own unique characteristics and keep away from the general trend of standardized literature. The major chunk of the Teyyam songs remains well above literary denomination and creates the proper atmosphere with its archaic usages, nuances and rhythmic patterns conveying the subtle emotions of the character impersonated. Teyyam songs belong to a literary tradition of the farthest past which had not evolved through any conscious process of sophistication, but served as life-giving vehicle of the feelings of the village communities.

Folklore - a brief introduction

Kerala is a traditional place and the people are proud of their rich heritage and culture. A very lively example of that is the fact that folk dance in Kerala is still very much prevalent and is performed with as much zest as it used to be in the earlier days. In Kerala, traditional dance is given as much importance as education or any other important realm of life. Parents make it a point that kids are well versed in atleast one form of fine arts. The people of Kerala have art in their blood and performing arts is also the livelihood of many people. The dances of Kerala are brilliant in nature and usually depict scenes from ancient mythology.

The costume and make up are extensive in nature and can take upto 5 hours to be applied on a single participant. The colors used for make up have their own significance and are made up of natural products mixed with coconut oil so as to form a paste. Expert make-up artists then apply these colors with much precision on the faces of the dancers.