Marfa

A form of celebratory rhythmic music and dance from Hyderabad, India, among Muslims, adapted from Afro-Arab music of Hadhramawt in Yemen. It is played at a high tempo using instruments such as marfa drums, daff (frame drum), dhol (double-headed drum), sticks, steel pots, and wooden strips called thapi. The chorus effects and vocal meter are set according to beats.

Marfa was introduced in Hyderabad state by the East African Siddi community, who used to serve as cavalry guards in the Asaf Jahi Nizams irregular army. Asaf Jahi Nizams performed marfa music during official celebrations and ceremonies, as they also claimed Arab ancestry. It became popular in India, particularly in Hyderabad.

The associated marfa dance is typically performed with janbiya daggers or talwars (swords) and latts (canes), and it is likely to have been derived from the Bar’a dance of Yemen. A typical dance involves jiggling with swords and sticks based on the music’s tempo and rhythm. The music is performed only by men, whereas dances and jiggling are common among both men and women. 1790s–    .