The New Indian Express ·
Tragic tale of Malayali kalari duo on colonial Oz tour uncovered
KOZHIKODE: A German writer based in America has unearthed the tragic story of two Muslim kalaripayattu practitioners from Malabar, who set out for Australia, then a British colony, in the 1850s to earn money by displaying their martial art skills.
In his article in the book Faith, Commerce, and Cultural Exchange in the World of Ibn Battuta, William Gilcher juxtaposes the experience of performers from Germany with that of the Malayali duo, who became victims of discrimination and cultural insensitivity.
Mahomet Cassim and his companion Mahomet Abdallah performed for audiences across Australia. “Speaking little English, they stood out from the European colonists by their Muslim religious beliefs as well as their dark skin colour,” says the author.
