Sidi Goma – the lost tribe of Africa, still exists in India. The most prominent feature of these Negroid tribe is their curly caespitose hair. They are very fond of wearing junk jewelery and designing their faces with different colors. The Sidi dancers are actually the African Sufis of Gujarat who served as slaves to the rajah's and maharajah's of the 13th century. Slowly with the time, they lost their culture, traditions, language and the knowledge of their country's content. However they have kept alive certain African attributes and some of their cultural rites and rituals of worship.
Today there are around thirty thousand Sidi's in Indian residing in Junagadh district of Gujarat and primarily in Jambur deep within the Gir Wildlife forests – home to the largest population of Asiatic Lions. Sidi's mainly worship African Sufi saint called Bara Gor who was also known as Sidi Mubarak Nobi. The term Sidi is derived from the word ‘Saiyed’ meaning the descendant of the Prophet Mohammad. Surprisingly, they are not aware of their native language and their only cultural link to Africa is through the dance, music and certain cultural practices. They use African derived movements, rhymes and instruments.
Their performance is happy and high spirited dance sequence, yet mythological as it is dedicated to Baba Gor. Very often in their lyrics they use the word lahar/mauj which Baba Gor used to describe ecstasy and joy of the sea voyage on the way to India. They dis this as nomadic fakirs, accepting contribution for their bringing of the dance from village to village. They pledge of poverty to exhibit their devotion and dedication.
One of their popular dance prayer is zikr. Virtuostic drumming accompanies rapturous dancing that is nimble and lively.It increases and intensifies rhythmic music becoming more and more phrenetic. Animal Mimicry is quite popular Sidi's. They love to wear costumes made of peacock feathers instead of ostrich ones that their ancestors might have used in Africa.
The groups' lyrics recounts Islamic history and praises Prophet Mohammad though the musical forms of dhamal, baithi and qawwali. By various plays and dance, the Sidi's eulogises and celebrate lehar/mauj. The Sidi's perform with four lead drummers and eight dancers and singers who play and perform zikr, a tribute to saint Baba Gor.
Aparana Chauhan
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