IFFK in focus: ‘Rhythm of Dammam’ celebrates India’s lesser known African community

New-York based filmmaker Jayan Cherian took eight years to helm ‘Rhythm of Dammam’, the one hour 32 minutes-long film, which will be showcased at the competition section at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), set to kick off in Thiruvananthapuram on December 13. What began as a curious research about the Siddi community, which forms a sizeable population in Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Daman and Diu, turned into a full-fledged film, documenting the lives of the Afro-descendant community, who have become part of the Indian ethos and fabric.

‘Rhythm of Dammam’ features a 12-year-old Jayaram Siddi played by actor Chinmayi Siddi who is possessed by his late grandfather’s spirit and the efforts of his family to exorcise him. However, this brings him closer to his community’s origin in Eastern Africa and how they were brought to India as slaves.

Jayan, who previously helmed ‘Papilio Buddha’ and ‘Ka Bodyscapes’ lived with the community for two years at a stretch during Covid. However, his journey began long before that in 2016 and he would make occasional visits to the community who lived in Karntaka’s Yellapura from New York, where he pursued his higher studies and research. “Initially, the community was a bit reserved in accepting me, but soon they embraced me as their own,” he said. He recalls meeting Chinmayi, the lead actor, when he was just seven. “Now, Chinmayi is turning almost 14. He was just seven when we first met. He grew up with the script of Rhythm of Dammam, and we started filming when he turned twelve. Now, he's about to turn fourteen,” he said.

Through Chinmayi’s character, the film gives us a deep understanding of the cultural and religious traditions of the community and people who were brought to India as chattel slaves from Ethiopia and Nigeria. “The slaves were brought to India by Arab owners from from Mosambique port and purchased by rich native land owners. Later, even though British India abolished slavery in 1833 ( Charter Act), Portugese-ruled India, including Goa, continued to practice the system.  However, many of the slaves were freed during the Goan inquisition when the native landlords had to give up their 'property' for following pagan practices. Others, slaves who were left unattended during the Goan plague, escaped to freedom in the dense Konkan forests and joined those who had escaped before them. Soon enough, they were enslaved again by the Uttara Kannada Brahmins who used the community to tend to their lands. “There, they came across a different kind of slavery. “This kind of slavery was different from what the West practiced in their plantations. This was more casteist,” shared Jayan.

Those who remained with the Christian landlords had to embrace Christianity, while those who stayed with Hindu and Muslim landlords accepted their respective religions. The Siddi community who lived with the Upper Caste Brahmins were the most excluded lot and they did not have much touch with the outside world.

Despite these differences, the community were united in their music, dance and ritualistic offerings. “The Dammam music was a huge relief for the community who endured tough times as slaves. This is ethnic to their community. They also united together for their offerings to the goddess Siddi Nass to whom they would sacrifice a chicken and a goat by cutting of its heads. The ancestor worship too was part of their common rituals and they practiced it, despite their religious affiliations,” he said.

‘Rhythm of Dammam’ directed and written by Jayan Cherian premiered at the International Film Festival of India in Goa, this year.