Ankola Komarpants' Suggi - Article from The Hindu

Suggi dancers express their gratitude

From the Hindu

This folk dance form is on the verge of extinction

“Suggi kunitha”, a local seasonal folk dance, has begun in the coastal taluks of Uttara Kannada district. The troupes of the Suggi dancers move from one village to another during the paddy harvest season till the festival of “Holi” to perform the dance as a gratitude to the God for the successful harvest.

History

The Suggi dancers wear traditional dresses and headgears. The dance has historical background as it was used to create awareness among the masses against the British rule during the Independence movement.

Communities

In Uttara Kannada, the Suggi dances were performed by the Hallakki Vokkalu, Patgar, Namadhari, Komarpanth, and Ager who were mainly agriculturists. After 12 years, the Kshatriya Komarapantha community of Avarsa in Ankola taluk has taken up the Suggi dance and their first performance was at Harwada. Of the 45 Komarapanth families in Harwada, 29 families had participated in the Suggi.

Rest of the families accompanied the Suggi dancers in fancy dresses, beating the drums. With the younger generation not taking up agriculture anymore, the Suggi dance is on the verge of extinction. But the people of different communities had been encouraged to keep their folk art alive.

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It is performed in coastal districts during the harvest season

It was used to create awareness during the Independence movement 

Felicitation of Komarpant Artists - Datta Komarpant's Blog

Datta Komarpant

National Commission for Backward Classes to hold Meeting at Panaji, Goa - News

Panaji, Feb 21- Under section 9 (1) of the National Commission for Backward Classes Act (Act No. 27 of 1993), the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) with examine requests for inclusion of any class of citizens as a backward class in the Central List of Backward Classes and hear Complaints of over-inclusion or under inclusion f any backward class in such lists and tender such advice to the Central Government as it deems appropriate, and under Section 9 (2) of the Act such advice of the Commission shall ordinarily be binding upon the Central Government.

           The Commission  consisting of Justice MN Rao, Chairperson,  S.K. Khanventhan  member, Deepak Katole, member and Smt. Chitra Chopra, Member-Secretary will hold a Public Hearing on 24th February, 2011 at 10.00 A.M. at Seminar Hall, Secretariat, Porvorim, Goa regarding the request received by this Commission from the State Government of Goa/representatives, listed below for their inclusion in the Central List of Other Backward Classes for the State of Goa.

           Castes /Communities in respect of which Public Hearing is to be helds Teli (including Christian Teli), Shimpi (including Christian Shimpi), Christian Renders, Komarpant, Thakar, Satarkar, Chari/Mesta, Nadaf, Pinjar, Mansoori and Quraishi, Kasab, Kasai.

           The association (s) organization (s) and/or individual (s) of the above castes/sub-castes/ communities are requested to appear before the Bench of the Commission as per the above programme and furnish all available information/data regarding the above castes/sub-castes/communities. Any other association (s) organization (s) and/or individual (s) who have any view to express in the matter of the aforesaid  castes/communities also be present. 

Source - http://www.digitalgoa.com/ca_disp.php?id=1821