KCHR Webinar
Decolonial Historiography of Malabar Resistance
by
Abbas Panakkal
Date and Time: August 29, 2024, Thursday | 3 pm IST
Abstract: Historically, the Malabar resistance has been interpreted through colonial lenses, with terms such as ‘rebellion’, ‘revolt’, ‘fanaticism’, ‘feminism’ and ‘Moplah Amazon’ shaping the narrative. Even post-colonial historians have struggled to escape these colonial constructs, which have for long influenced historical understanding. This talk, based on the book Musaliar King: Decolonial Historiography of Malabar Resistance, will explore the rich and nuanced history of Malabar from the decolonial perspective. This discussion will challenge the colonial distortions that have shaped post-colonial interpretations of the region. The decolonial outlook will uncover how colonial strategies obscured the true nature of inter-community alliances and the sacrifices made by Malabar people. Additionally, the talk will address controversies related to a key photograph published by colonial media and its portrayal in a British documentary film on the Malabar events. By redefining both colonial and post-colonial historical terms and highlighting the untold stories of solidarity and sacrifice, this will present a transformative narrative from Musaliar King, reshaping the understanding of the Malabar resistance and its enduring legacy.
About the speaker: Abbas Panakkal is a historian currently affiliated with the School of History at the University of St. Andrews, UK. He also serves on the advisory board for the Religious Life and Belief Centre at the University of Surrey, UK. Dr. Panakkal is engaged in a research project that investigates the processes of integration and indigenization within vernacular communities. His published works include Musaliar King (Bloomsbury, 2024), Southeast Asian Islam (editor, Routledge, 2024), Matrilineal, Matriarchal, and Matrifocal Islam (editor, Palgrave Macmillan, 2024), and South Asian Islam (editor, Routledge, 2023). He holds directorial positions at both the Ibn Battuta International Centre of Intercultural Studies and the International Interfaith Initiative. Previously, he was a fellow at Griffith University in Australia. Dr. Panakkal’s research spans a diverse array of topics, including language, religion, law, indigenization, integration, interreligious engagements, and intercultural cooperation.