Hunta Dance of the Santhal Tribe of Jharkhand

Tha Hunta Dance is an ancient dance form famous among the Santhal tribe living in the Chota Nagpur region in Jharkhand. This folk dance revolves around the concept of hunting and is a beautiful portrayal of the same.

The Santhal Paraganas

The Santhals are natives of Bangladesh who migrated to India many years back. These people are now found in multiple eastern states, with a majority of the population residing in Jharkhand and West Bengal. Santhal people are known for their hunting skills, and it is the primary source of gathering food for them.

Their festivals are mostly a depiction of their daily life activities. Hunta Folk Dance is one such example.

Dance Performance

Hunta Folk dance, as the name suggests, is the hunting dance of this tribe. The dance is performed only by the Santhal men. It is a powerful dance that demands immense strength and vigour. Through the dance, the men show the entire process of hunting. The props used are the hunting tools like the bow and arrow.

The dancers hold the weapons and show the stalking and killing of the animal. The unique components of the Hunta dance are calculative actions, steady stepping, and mime. For music, the Santhals play the Tumbak and Tamak, which are the two types of drums used by these tribal people. It is indeed a beautiful scene to watch.

Hunta Dance Costume

The Hunta dancers wear the traditional costume used when they go for hunting. The top is usually bare with a quiver on the back to hold the arrows. They wear colourful dhotis that end just below the knees on the bottom. On the head, they tie the cloth and tuck in some long bird feathers in it. In the left hand, they carry the bow, which is decorated with shiny material. The look is enhanced for the dance performance to attract the audience’s attention.

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