HSITORY OF ATTAN

History of Athan:
Males performing the Attan dance in traditional clothing.See also Music of Afghanistan

A British journalist of Pashtun origin, Amanullah Ghilzai, through his scientific study has traced the roots of Athan or "Khatak dance" to the ancient Greek dance of almost the same name. According to his theory, the dance which is internationally known as Khatak, while among the Afghans and Pashtuns as Athan, is actually one of the earliest forms of the ancient Greek dances, called "Athena" attributed to the Greek Goddess of War, Wisdom and Patriotism, of the same name. The Greeks had brought this dance with them to Bactria, ancient Afghanistan about 23 centuries ago when they had colonised this region for several centuries. During this period a sizable chunk of the Greek population had moved to Afghanistan and some western and northern-western parts of Pakistan, mentioned as "Yawanas" in the ancient Hindu books. The dance "Athan" also "Attan", seems to have been preserved in one of its earliest forms by members of the Khatak and some other Pashtun tribes, including the Ghilzais. The Athan dance is performed by many Pashtuns but each of the tribes has changed it a bit or a lot while the name "Athan" remains the same. In the ancient Greece, the dance Athena had the same definition and reverence attached to it as most Pashtuns would still attach to Athan. The dance Athena seems to have disappeared in Greece during the Christian era while interestingly, the Athan survived in Afghanistan and Pashtun parts of Pakistan.