Attan is the circle dance of the Pashtuns: a group of men moving around a drummer, clapping and spinning faster as the beat rises. In Pakistan it is danced mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in Pashtun parts of Balochistan, at weddings, Eid gatherings, cultural days and campus events. It is also widely described as the national dance of Afghanistan, so the same name covers a family of styles on both sides of the border.
This guide explains how attan is danced, how the regional styles differ, and where a visitor can realistically watch it. It is a cultural tradition rather than a ticketed festival, and there is no single season for it.
What is attan?
Attan is performed in a circle, usually around musicians. Wikipedia describes the double-headed dhol drum as the traditional accompaniment, with pipes, and dancers who clap to the beat as it accelerates. The pace starts slowly and builds, and a performance can last from a few minutes to half an hour. Dawn lists other instruments used in KP, including the rubab, tabla, the surnai (a reed pipe) and a wooden flute.
The circle can be small or large. Dawn notes groups from two dancers to well over a hundred.
Its origins are debated. Some writers link it to pre-Islamic, Zoroastrian rituals, and some have proposed Greek influence, but these are scholars' theories rather than settled fact. What reports agree on is that it was used as a war dance, to energise fighters before battle and to celebrate afterwards.
The regional styles
The common thread is the circle and the drum. Beyond that, styles differ by tribe and region, and the three most often mentioned in Pakistani coverage are these.
Khattak dance
The Khattak dance comes from the Khattak tribe of Pashtuns. It is the fast, martial form, performed with swords and a handkerchief. Wikipedia says a dancer may handle up to three swords of about one and a half kilograms each, with performances often at night around lanterns or bonfires. Dawn lists the sections as bhangra, derabi, laila and braghoni, and calls braghoni the hardest. Wikipedia also describes it as a national dance of Pakistan.
Waziri attan
Dawn and Wikipedia describe a style most popular in the southern districts of KP and in North and South Waziristan, danced by tribes such as the Wazir, Marwat, Bhitani and others. It is the style most people picture when they see a village circle in the south.
Mehsud attan
The Mehsud attan comes from the Mehsud tribe in South Waziristan. Dancers are reported to fling long hair, carry rifles and fire them into the air during the performance, often kneeling. Dawn says it demands real fitness and was once used to intimidate rivals. Do not expect to see this at a public event, and never stand near gunfire.
Afghan and other styles
Across the border you will hear of Kabuli, Logari and Wardaki attan, each with its own spins and handkerchief work, and the Kuchi attan of nomads. Dawn adds that women traditionally perform Kuchi attan on occasions such as Nowruz or childbirth.
When is attan performed?
There is no fixed attan season, so no date to plan around. Reports name these occasions:
- Weddings and engagements. The most common. Dawn lists weddings, Eid celebrations, birthdays and welcoming of important guests.
- Eid. Our guide to Eid holidays in KPK covers the season. Eid dates depend on moon sighting, so they move by a day or so.
- Pashtun Culture Day on 23 September. Attan is the centrepiece. Our guide to Pashtun Culture Day covers the events.
- Campus and cultural events. At the University of Peshawar's 2019 event, Dawn reported students performing Waziri and Khattak dances.
- Tourism festivals. Wikipedia lists the Khattak dance and horse dances among the performances at the Kalam Summer Festival in Swat. We could not verify that festival's recent editions, so check with the KP tourism authorities.
Where can a visitor see it?
Honestly, the best opportunity is by invitation. If you are staying with a Pashtun family or know someone getting married, ask. A wedding hujra (guest room or gathering place) may have a dhol player, and guests are often drawn into the circle.
For a public setting, try the cultural days and university programmes above, or cultural centres such as Nishtar Hall in Peshawar, which Wikipedia describes as a space for Pashtun culture and music. Check what is on before you go. We could not find a regular venue that stages attan every week for tourists, and we would not rely on one.
Peshawar is on the UK government's list of places it advises against travelling to, as are parts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Waziristans where some styles originate. For foreign-passport holders this advice can affect insurance. Our Peshawar safety guide covers the current picture. Do not travel to Waziristan to look for a performance.
Watching and joining in respectfully
- Ask before filming. Weddings are private family events, so ask the host before filming, and do not film women without permission.
- Stay behind the circle unless invited in. If you are asked to join, the steps are easy to copy: clap on the beat and follow the person in front.
- Dress modestly. Shalwar kameez works everywhere.
- Keep clear of firearms. Celebratory gunfire is dangerous, so move away from it.
- Tip musicians only if your host does or says it is appropriate.
Some performers are professionals who dance at weddings and events for payment, according to Dawn. Applaud them and do not touch the swords.
Is attan under pressure?
Dawn reports that the dance has faced obstacles in contemporary Pakistan. Religious hardliners, particularly the Taliban, have branded it un-Islamic, restricting participation, and mainstream media has marginalised Pashtun traditions. Folk media and community events carry much of it forward. Radio Free Europe described the dance still being used in some tribal communities to rally young people against threats. For many Pashtuns it remains a point of pride.
Is it worth seeking out?
If you are already in Peshawar or southern KP and are invited to a celebration, absolutely: it is one of the most energetic things you can watch. As a reason to travel on its own, it is a harder sell, since there is no regular show. Better to fit it around other plans; our experiences page is a starting point for cultural trips, and the best festivals to visit in Pakistan gives a calendar of events with fixed dates.
Frequently asked questions
What is attan?
A Pashtun circle dance performed to a drum, with clapping and a rising tempo. It is danced in Pakistan and Afghanistan and is often called the national dance of Afghanistan.
What is the difference between Khattak and Waziri attan?
The Khattak dance is a fast sword dance from the Khattak tribe. Waziri attan is the style of the southern districts and the Waziristans, and the related Mehsud style traditionally involves firing rifles into the air.
When is attan danced?
At weddings, Eid gatherings, birthdays, welcoming guests and cultural events such as Pashtun Culture Day on 23 September.
Can women dance attan?
Not as a general rule in the sources we read, but in some communities, yes. Dawn notes that women traditionally perform Kuchi attan on occasions such as Nowruz.
Can tourists join in?
If a host invites you, yes. Do not push into a circle uninvited, and ask before filming.
