This Ain't Giddha, This is SAMMI

[Varun]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQrNVQBD3Wc&feature=related

interesting eh?

 

[Chakdey]

Sammi is a type of dance normally Performed by women. Other dances by women Include Giddha, Kikili, & Jaago. For Guys the different types of dances are Bhangra, Luddi, Dhamaal, & Jhoomer.

Here is an Article I found on Sammi:


Sammi has remained a beloved dance done by women in the baar-s of the West Punjab. In the same regions of the West Punjab where Jhummar has been prevalent among men, women have been dancing Sammi. From the perspective of dance movements, Sammi and Jhummar resemble one another. The only difference is that Jhummar, being a men's dance, has a stronger masculine element in its dance movements, while in Sammi the movements adopt a more tender, feminine flavor. They are also pretty similar from the perspective of dance songs.

Sammi is a women's dance of the Jaanglis of the Saandal Baar, Raavi Baar, and Neeli Baar. At the Jaanglis' wedding times, circumcision times, or other joyous times, women dance Sammi. One girl sings the songs of Sammi while standing in the middle of a ring, and the remaining women standing or in motion in a circle keep dancing Sammi, moving their legs around and waving their arms. The special movement of Sammi dance involves bringing both of one's hands around from the sides to in front of the chest and clapping; they dance on the thrill of this unison clap and the unison melody of the lyrics.

The main dance movements of Sammi are related to swaying the arms and flexing the hips. Spreading out both arms to the sides, then bringing them in front of the chest and clapping; then swinging the right arm upward and moving the left arm downward to dangle, while snapping with both hands–this is the special dance step of Sammi. While swinging the arms downward and upward, the hips are moved with a little bounce; then, bowing forward, one claps, simultaneously advancing while moving one leg and toes in a circular motion. [141] Along with each step the arms are waved up, down, left, right. The clapping of hands and snapping, matched to the sung lyrics, and moving in uniformity with each step in sum is the recognizing feature of this dance. Sammi is a type of dance of great composure, of slow movements, danced in uniformity, and without lots of thudding or clamour. Evident in this dance is a great discipline towards the feelings of love and passion.

Through the movements of Sammi dance, the deep color of love is brought out. This color is also reflected in the Sammi-dancing maidens' bright clothing. Dancing in the arena in red and black coloured ghaggri-s or lungi-s, and choli-s and chunni-s of the same color, the Jaangli maidens show their colorful hearts. Jaangli women love to get dressed up. Dancing with bunda-s [pendant earrings] in the ears, necklaces [haar and hamel] on the neck, heavy bracelets of bangles on the hands, intense lines of surma on the eyes, and dandaasa [bark of walnut tree] rubbed on the lips, give a glimpse of the Jaangli beauty. In this dance these maidens, in the lyrics and waving of limbs, present their everyday life:

cha ke ghaRoTa lai challeea~ ve paaNi

te mai~ aap bharesa~ paaNi

lai ve veer mai~ bharan na desa~

boke chhikkdi nu~ raat vihaaNi

Dholia, bhari~ ve paaNi

boke chhikkdi di baa~h ve DulhaaNi

Dholia, bhari~ ve paaNi

Taking up the pitcher, bringing it to the water

And I myself fill up with water

Bring it, O vir, might I not fill it

Drawing up the bucket, the night passes

O Dhola, the water is filled

Drawing up the bucket, the arms pour it

O Dhola, the water is filled

Sammi is the type of dance which is danced in uniformity. Making the lyrics of the song and the clapping and snapping happen in unison is beautiful. The dance is swayed according to the lyrics of the song, in a joint hek. One lady alone sings one line of the song, and the remaining women all come together on the rest of the lyrics. The woman who recites the beginning lyrics of the song verse alone does so while standing in the middle of the arena, swaying and swaying her arms; On the last line of the song, all the remaining women sing, going around in a circle, dancing and swaying. In this way, within the group, individual and unison dance movements keep happening. [142] The Jaangli women's jingling bangles and the tinkling of other ornaments give a distinctive rhythm to these lyrics:

koThe te par koThRa, vaN sammeea~

sammi meri vaN–

koThe te tandoor, vaN sammeea~

sammi meri vaN–

giN giN laava~ roTeea~, vaN sammeea~

sammi meri vaN–

khaavaN vaale door, vaN sammeea~

sammi meri vaN–1

On top of one apartment, another little apartment, Sammi girl

Sammi, my girl/tree–2

In the apartment's an oven, Sammi girl

Sammi, my girl/tree–

Countless roti-s are piling up, Sammi girl

Sammi, my girl/tree–

The man who would eat them is far away, Sammi girl

Sammi, my girl/tree–

Although Sammi dance moves on songs of love, here and there one finds in it as well song lyrics and dance movements expressing sentiments which inspire devotion, related to vows and praises of pir-faqir-s, in which the Jaangli women repeat the name of some saint of theirs:

mere peer pavaae koThe

vich bolaN tote

uh haaThi~ bahnn khalote

mai~ kurbaan jaani aa~

aaia kutab da Fareed

mai~ farshaan jaani aa~

mere peer nu~ banno gaana

boohe Dhol vaje sidvaana

peer, tainu~ umat da khasamaana

mai~ kurbaan jaani aa~

sadke vaare jaani aa~

aaia kutab da Fareed

mai~ farshaan jaani aa~

O Pir, cause there to be in my dwelling

Talking parrots

They're standing in the store

May I be sacrificed

Fareed of the literature has come

May I be FARSHAAN (?)

Tie a bracelet on my Pir

Calling the beloved who has left home

Pir, you're in charge of protecting the religious community

May I be sacrificed

Sacrificed for your sake

Fareed of the literature has come

May I be FARSHAAN (?)

In Sammi there is romance and movement like the flowing Chenab. Glimpses are found of caravans of camels going on long journeys, livestock grazing in the jungles, the separated male lover and the restless female lover in passion, filling up with water at docks, the milking of buffaloes, and maidens heating up the tandoor. In the dance these aspects of life are made conspicuous, and addressed by the maidens to 'premi Dhola.':

[143]

chhamaka~ mereea~ paand [paandu] kakkeea~

uh din kehRa laaeea~ ni akkheea~

chhamaka~ na maar, ve haakim Dhola

chhamaka~ mereea~ laiN hulaare [ulaare]

uh din kihRa keete ni kaare

chhamaka~ na maar, ve haakim Dhola

chhamaka~ mereea~ alleea~malleea~

chhoD na jaasa~ baabal galeea~

chhamaka~ na maar, ve haakim Dhola3

My lovely branch-like brown-haired beauties

That day I was brought, I said

Girls, "Do not hit me, O my lord, Dhola"

Girls, swinging and swaying

That day when promises were made

Girls, "Do not hit me, O my lord, Dhola"

Girls, O my God

Of "I would not leave," O father

Girls, "Do not hit me, O my lord, Dhola"

In Sammi there is a special dance move that is done by placing the right hand on the hip and bringing the left towards the forehead with the gesture of 'salaam' while slightly bowing; and then, snapping fingers, placing the left hand on the hip and doing the 'salaam' with the right hand. Often the salaam is done by bowing slightly at the waist and bringing both hands touching up towards the forehead; then, swinging the hips and clapping, the remaining movements of the dance are done. To these movements the dancers have given the name 'Salaam Sammi.' In this dance movement the Sammi dancer, saying 'ji aaia' ["welcome"] shares her little complaints and grievances with her imagined lover (Dhola).

vaari bhochhaN mera uNia~

Dhol jhanaave~ suNia~

vaari bhochhaN mera Tukia

Dhol jhanaave~ Dhukia

Gosh, I wove my shawl

My lover hearkened to the Chenab

Gosh, my shawl has become worn-out

My love comes back to the Chenab

In its root form, Sammi is a dance involving the sentiments of love and of pain from separation. Many songs sung with this dance are 'sunehaRa-s' [oral messages] sent by the lover 'Sammi' to her beloved, 'Dhola.' Some of the movements of the dance, too, are like this, where one maiden displays in the bodily movements of the dance her full youth in a way as if she was calling to the lover. The dance is one of signals of women's limbs. From this flirtatiousness, enticing hip swinging, signals of the hands, secrets of the eyes, and the other dance movements, the color of passion is displayed bodily in the nimble form of blooming youth.

[144]

saalu da laR chhuDaava~, vaN sammeea~

sammi meri vaN–

saalu mai~ na dendi, vaN sammeea~

sammi meri vaN–

saalu mai~ sa~ dendi, vaN sammeea~

sammi meri vaN–4

I shall release the edge of the bridal shawl, Sammi girl

Sammi my girl/tree–

I don't give the bridal shawl, Sammi girl

Sammi my girl/tree–

I gave the bridal shawl, Sammi girl

Sammi my girl/tree–

Being related to sentiments of love, this dance has been connected with the love tale of Dhol-Sammi. According to one [version of the] legend,5 Dhol was the son of King Bir Sain and Queen Savaranmati of Narvarkot, and 'Sammi' was the daughter of King Soor Sain and Queen Bir Kala of Marvar.6 Both were engaged during childhood. When Dhola grew up he was married to Malvaani, a princess of Malva.

They say that the full force of blooming youth came upon Sammi and the scent of her beauty spread in all directions (Lokdhara Vishvakosh, pg. 5187). When Dhola came to know that he was engaged to Sammi, on the pretense of going hunting,8 he actually went to Marwar, wed Sammi and brought her back. Jealously going to her father-in-law, Bir Sain, Malvaani caused Bir Sain to become angry with his son Dhola, and to exiled him for 12 years. According to folk belief, Sammi became restless in pain of separation from Dhol9 and in the 'sammi' dance she displayed her feelings from the pain of separation. Thus the love tale of Dhol-Sammi, on one hand, started to be presented in songs in the form of 'Dhola-s', and on the other hand, Sammi was adopted in the form of dance movements. In this way the Sammi is understood to be a dance done in passion of love and separation from Dhola.

In actuality, the original source of Sammi dance is connected with worship of the Hindu god of fire, Agni. In this connection, the conception of Dr. Vanjara Bedi is quite true that in ancient times Sammi dance had been connected with Agni. He writes:

In Sanskrit, sammi means the janD tree.10 In ancient times, Hindus considered the fire produced from the rubbing of sammi to be very sacred. It seems that in ancient times, when fire was considered to be the form and radiance of a god, that dancing which was done all around the janD to propitiate Agni was called Sammi. Up until recently, Sammi was still done around fire in the wintertime, proof that the Sammi dance is related to fire.11 [145] The prominent refrain in the songs of Sammi, 'sammi meri vaN,' also corroborates the above-mentioned idea."12 (Panjabi Lokdhara Vishvakosh, pg. 518).13

Further on Dr. Vanjara Bedi writes that "About how this dance came to be connected, in the middle ages, with the love story of Dhol-Sammi nothing can be said conclusively" (Vishvakosh, pg. 518).

If we consider historical references of Punjabi folk-traditions in application to this issue, we find that in the middle ages, due to some peculiar historical reasons, there is a metamorphosis from god-centered folk-traditions to people-centered folk-traditions. In that historical process this dance must have gotten connected with the love tale of Dhol-Sammi. The background of many Jaanglis living in the baar is linked with Rajasthan. They must have connected this dance with their love heroes. Gradually the sentiment of worship lessened while the sentiment of love must have increased. Like Giddha dance, Sammi dance too must have been produced in a new form as a medium of folk-entertainment. Just as the dance would have adopted a mundane color, this it have gotten closer to the reality of everyday life, in place of a faith-filled religious ritual.

Before Partition, on every happy occasion of the Jaanglis, this area was filled with lush jungles. Women have remained comparatively more free in this pastoral culture. We also find proof of this fact in Hir of Damodar. Visions come of Jaangli maidens in jungles, in grasslands, at docks of rivers, roaming freely and doing Sammi. At happy occasions on moonlit nights in the middle of the settlement, the jungle's exhilarating music was added to the dance of the maidens doing Sammi.

[146] Like Jhummar, Sammi is also danced in several varieties. Whereas the Jhummar of the tall Balochi men of the West Punjab was renowned, it was no match for the tall and slender Balochi women's Sammi.

With the Partition, this heritage of the Punjabis, linked with the land of the baar, was lost by them–'Alas, o you baar of Dulla, you will in time be uprooted!'14

 

[Varun]

Sammi my girl/tree–

Being related to sentiments of love, this dance has been connected with the love tale of Dhol-Sammi. According to one [version of the] legend,5 Dhol was the son of King Bir Sain and Queen Savaranmati of Narvarkot, and 'Sammi' was the daughter of King Soor Sain and Queen Bir Kala of Marvar.6 Both were engaged during childhood. When Dhola grew up he was married to Malvaani, a princess of Malva.

They say that the full force of blooming youth came upon Sammi and the scent of her beauty spread in all directions (Lokdhara Vishvakosh, pg. 5187). When Dhola came to know that he was engaged to Sammi, on the pretense of going hunting,8 he actually went to Marwar, wed Sammi and brought her back. Jealously going to her father-in-law, Bir Sain, Malvaani caused Bir Sain to become angry with his son Dhola, and to exiled him for 12 years. According to folk belief, Sammi became restless in pain of separation from Dhol9 and in the 'sammi' dance she displayed her feelings from the pain of separation. Thus the love tale of Dhol-Sammi, on one hand, started to be presented in songs in the form of 'Dhola-s', and on the other hand, Sammi was adopted in the form of dance movements. In this way the Sammi is understood to be a dance done in passion of love and separation from Dhola.

In actuality, the original source of Sammi dance is connected with worship of the Hindu god of fire, Agni. In this connection, the conception of Dr. Vanjara Bedi is quite true that in ancient times Sammi dance had been connected with Agni. He writes:

In Sanskrit, sammi means the janD tree.10 In ancient times, Hindus considered the fire produced from the rubbing of sammi to be very sacred. It seems that in ancient times, when fire was considered to be the form and radiance of a god, that dancing which was done all around the janD to propitiate Agni was called Sammi. Up until recently, Sammi was still done around fire in the wintertime, proof that the Sammi dance is related to fire.11 [145] The prominent refrain in the songs of Sammi, 'sammi meri vaN,' also corroborates the above-mentioned idea."12 (Panjabi Lokdhara Vishvakosh, pg. 518).13

Further on Dr. Vanjara Bedi writes that "About how this dance came to be connected, in the middle ages, with the love story of Dhol-Sammi nothing can be said conclusively" (Vishvakosh, pg. 518).

If we consider historical references of Punjabi folk-traditions in application to this issue, we find that in the middle ages, due to some peculiar historical reasons, there is a metamorphosis from god-centered folk-traditions to people-centered folk-traditions. In that historical process this dance must have gotten connected with the love tale of Dhol-Sammi. The background of many Jaanglis living in the baar is linked with Rajasthan. They must have connected this dance with their love heroes. Gradually the sentiment of worship lessened while the sentiment of love must have increased. Like Giddha dance, Sammi dance too must have been produced in a new form as a medium of folk-entertainment. Just as the dance would have adopted a mundane color, this it have gotten closer to the reality of everyday life, in place of a faith-filled religious ritual.

Before Partition, on every happy occasion of the Jaanglis, this area was filled with lush jungles. Women have remained comparatively more free in this pastoral culture. We also find proof of this fact in Hir of Damodar. Visions come of Jaangli maidens in jungles, in grasslands, at docks of rivers, roaming freely and doing Sammi. At happy occasions on moonlit nights in the middle of the settlement, the jungle's exhilarating music was added to the dance of the maidens doing Sammi.

[146] Like Jhummar, Sammi is also danced in several varieties. Whereas the Jhummar of the tall Balochi men of the West Punjab was renowned, it was no match for the tall and slender Balochi women's Sammi.

With the Partition, this heritage of the Punjabis, linked with the land of the baar, was lost by them–'Alas, o you baar of Dulla, you will in time be uprooted!'14

I know "van" in Sanskrit means jungle...and baar, as in Sandalbaar, means forest in Punjabi. So Sammi is talking about a tree...Sammi meri baar. interesting....

just another example of the changing norms of Punjabi folk tradition: from a dance about animist Tree-worship to a women's dance of yearning love to now, just one small clapping move in bhangra.