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Culture & art

African Dancing 101. Traditional Dances You Should Know About

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Africa is the second largest continent that supports people of various religions and ethnic groups. All these ethnic groups support multiple beliefs and traditions that are sacred among them. Just like this, the wedding concept is very religious among the various tribes and groups of Africa.

According to different stats recorded, Egypt, a continent of Africa, ranks third after Gaza and Fiji regarding marriages.

Moreover, another research shows that, in 2018, about 70 percent of Nigerian women were married between the ages of 15 and 49.

This shows how important marriage is for Africans. African weddings are based on various traditions that vary among different tribes. But one such custom that is common among all is dancing.

These are part and parcel of the African celebrations, and no event is complete without them.

Here Are Some Important African Wedding Dances

Following are some of the significant traditional dances popular among African tribes.

1. Adumu (Jumping) Dance Of Tanzania And Kenya

Adumu, also known as the jumping dance, is one of the most famous traditional wedding dances. This dance is special among the very known tribes of Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania. The Maasai jumping dance is very high-spirited and involves a lot of jumping.

This is mainly performed during the event of celebrations like weddings or any other celebratory events. This dance also represents the strength and stability of the men.

2. Zulu Dance (Indlamu) Of South Africa

One of the most ancient and largest tribes of Africa, making up around 22% of the population of South Africans.

Along with many traditions, the most important tradition of Zulus is the Indlamu Dance. Also known as the Zulu dance, men at wedding ceremonies usually perform this to show off their strengths and control over the weapons.

It is a kicking dance in which the person elevates his foot above his head and then drops it down with high force.

3. Lamban Dance Of Guinea, Mali

Another significant dance is not only performed at weddings but also other joyous and spiritual events. Lamban dance is a traditional dance performed among the people of Guinea, Mali, and Senegal.

The unique thing about this dance is it is performed on various occasions and is linked to the soul and spirituality of people.

Depending upon the occasion, there are three different types of Lamban dance:

  • Tage is known as the Lamban wedding. This one is performed during marital events.
  • Jalidon is a royal Lamban dance performed mainly for the royals of West Africa to pay them homage.
  • Genefoule type of Lamban performed in spiritual events for healing of the soul.

4. Gota Dance Of Ghana

Last but not least, we have another very high-energy dance called the Gota dance of Ghana. A popular dance among the people of the Volta region and an essential part of wedding celebrations.

This dance involves whole body movements and is performed mainly by the youth at weddings. The noticeable thing about this dance is the kpanlogo drums used to create the sound for the dance. It creates a unique beat and rhythm that allows people to move their bodies according to the sound.

Conclusion

Just like other weddings, dancing is an essential tradition for the various tribes of Africa. And when it comes to weddings, who doesn’t like to dance at these joyous events? Whether it is Africa or America, the UK or Europe, wedding dance is something that makes this day memorable.

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