Attan
dance native to the Pashtun ethnic group
Attan (Pashto: اتڼ [aˈt̪aɳ] ) is a Pashtun dance. It is performed during weddings or other celebrations (engagements, weddings and informal gatherings). The Attan was conducted by Pashtuns in times of war such as the British occupation and the Pashtun resistance movement, when Pashtuns used the dance to instil confidence and energy among warriors readying to battle the colonisers. It is now considered the national dance of Afghanistan, popularly carried by other ethnic groups in Afghanistan as well as by the Pashtuns of Pakistan.
Attan is usually performed with a Dohol, which is a double-headed barrel drum. The dance can be anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes long. There are many different regional and tribal variations and styles of Attan, the most famous being Kabuli, Wardaki, Logari, Paktia, Khosti, Kandahari, and Herati
Depending on the region and tribe, there are different methods and styles of the Pashtun attan, for example Paktia attan and styles. Attan is performed traditionally segregated although in modern times, Afghans have performed the dance with both men and women.
Closely related circle dances can be found in the Khorasan and Sistan and Baluchestan provinces of Iran, commonly known as Chapi or Torbati there ("رقص خراسانی"or "رقص سیستانی").
Origin
Most scholars believe the Attan has Zoroastrian roots, identifying the dance as a religious ceremony of early Zoroastrianism.
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