Sea, community and language: a study on the origin and development of Arabi- Malayalam language of mappila muslims of Malabar

Abstract

Mappila Muslim culture is a mixture of Indian and Arabian traditions and its origin can be traced back to pre-Islamic Arabia. There are many references for tracing Mappilas origin into pre Islamic Arabia. It is believed that Arab Merchants travel to Malabar frequently even before Islam emerged in Arabia. Their historical specificity granted them a unique language, culture, religion, and social life. Cultural assimilation was one of the most notable aspect in Mappila history. The marriage of Hindu women to the Arabs historically helped to form a new progeny called Mappila. When Islam was introduced into the Kerala coast, the people who are known as Mappila did not change totally, they did not accept Arabic as their mother tongue and they did not want to give up Malayalam. Instead they invented a new language, Arabi-Malayalam, to community within the community. This new language played an important role in shaping and negotiating Mappila identity. They faced immense crisis of both the identities of Arab and Malayalam. When they faced a crisis to accommodate both into the community and the larger Malabar, Mappila invented a new way to express and share identity. This is Arabi- Malayalam language which was a religious necessity for Mappila. The rich tradition of this community written language reflects a rich history of cultural interactions, as it is a sensitive barometer of social and historical conditions of the Mappila community