Cool Stuff No.3: Sub-Saharan Music and Culture
Welcome back everyone! I hope all of you are enjoying the cooler weather and watching the leaves change colors. Today we are going to be talking about sub-Saharan Music and Culture. Despite what we see on the news, Africa is a place of color, music, dancing, singing. From mbiras to African Dance, come with me to explore the world of music below the Sahara.
Mbira
I really wanted to do a section on mbiras (or kalimbas if that is what you call them) because I love listening to sound of them. In the Google Doodle video, the sound is described as somewhere between water and air. I describe it as the twinkling of the stars. A mbira is an instrument with 22-28 metal keys on a soundboard called a gwavira. While playing the mbira, you will here a metalic buzz. This buzz adds depth to the sound and is also said to clear the mind of thoughts and worries so that the music can fill your soul. In Zimbabwe, the mbira is said to have healing properties and the Shona people say that it can bring immediate health. Even from a western standpoint, studies in the 1990's have shown that the music from the mbira has a positive effect on people's mental state! So if you ever find yourself stressing out or dealing with a bit of anxiety, take a moment to find some mbira music, such as the cover below
Gumboot Dancing
Gumboot dancing is a rhythmic language created by the mine workers in South Africa. During apartheid, workers in the mine were subjected to harsh conditions such are being separated from their families and many got skin breakdown from the dark, flooded gold mines. Instead of draining the mines, bosses instead gave the workers rubber boots to protect their skin. Since the workers were not allowed to talk to each other, they began to communicate by stomping the boots, hitting the boots, and rattling the chains they were in. Soon, gumboot dancing began to become popular outside of the mines and are still practiced as a form of entertainment rather than a way of communication.
Shaka Zulu
Okay so this is a bit of a darker turn but I still think it's fascinating and I hope you like the video I chose for it. Sigidi kaSenzangakhona, more commonly known as Shaka, was leader of the Zulu kingdom in modern day South Africa from 1816 to his assassination in 1828. He was a fearless warlord and a brilliant military commander with one of his most famous battle tactics being the 'horns of the buffalo' formation. He revolutionized the Zulu army with a change of easier to control weaponry. Unfortunately, his downfall began when his mother passed away in 1827. After his mother passed, Shaka's mental state turned dangerous. He had hundreds of his people killed, forbid the planting of crops and using milk for a year. Eventually, his half-brothers had enough and assassinated him to end his rule.
I am so glad you looked that up Sierra! Who would have ever known that mine workers could come up with such a cool thing. I think mining should be shut down completely because of how dangerous it is. It is unfair to the workers how they have go work in such dangerous and risky conditions because they know they could get a skin problem or never see their family again just so they can provide for their family.
ReplyDeleteSierra, I loved your blog. All the things that you talked about were so interesting. One thing that really interested me was the Gumboot dance. It reminded me of stepping which I am a very big fan of. I have always wanted to be a stepper but now, I think that I will practice the Gumboot dance instead. Also, watching the Epic Rap Battle of History video was amazing and it brought me back memories of middle school.
ReplyDeleteI loved your blog! I talked about the Mbira and Gumboot dancing too! I thought the Gumboot dance was so cool. I thought it was really neat how they used the Gumboot dance as a way to communicate since they couldn't talk. It eventually became a way for them to secretly mock their employers once they began to dance for other people which is pretty funny
ReplyDeleteI love how the Gumboot dancing is described as a language, it reminds me a little bit of the step team that we had at my high school. I definitely understand how it is described as a language, it feels as though they were telling a story through their stomps, claps, and words.
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