Music and Dance: The Zulu Maidens And Ethiopian Women

Music and dance goes together. It has the power to go beyond language barriers and bring people from different cultures and backgrounds together. Music and dance transcend barriers and borders. It's the language everyone understands in Africa regardless of their tribe. It is the soul of unity, love, and peace. It can bond even the worst of enemies and has been used before to forge reconciliation in broken societies. It can also serve as a powerful tool for preserving cultural heritage and traditions.

In Africa, it is unrealistic to separate music from dance or from bodily movement. When people sing, they almost always add a percussive part by clapping or stamping and getting their bodies moving. Percussion instruments can be tied to the body in order to add to the effect when the dancer starts to move and the body itself can be turned into an instrument.

Zulu Reed Dance Of South Africa

Talking about stamping, I believe the Zulu reed dance absolutely offers the best stamp dance ever in African society. It is one experience I would like to witness, joining the friends and relatives of thousands of young South African beautiful girls attired in traditional Zulu dress to watch them sing, dance, and celebrate their culture.

It is a beauty to behold the dance movement of Zulu maidens during the reed dance, an alluring expose of graceful steps, often accompanied by swaying hips and synchronised arm movement. They move in unison creating a beautiful display of traditional Zulu dance. High steps are made and rhythmically stamped on the ground, with each step they show purity as their bodies sway like reeds in the breeze. They are in charge of their steps as they stamp it around the arena.

The Zulu reed dance is an annual ceremony, known as the Umkhosi woMhlanga. It is a centuries-old tradition in celebration of sexual purity and the promotion of sexual abstinence among young girls. It takes place at the end of August or beginning of September, right at the start of southern hemisphere spring, at the Enyokeni Palace( the king's only traditional palace) in Nongoma, Zululand. Who is known by his official title as MisuZulu kaZwelithini.

Beautiful girls known locally as maidens from all over the country arrive in the area for the traditional Zulu festivities. The events are spread over several days and it represent an important rite of passage for the young women. The highlight of this event is young girls joining in traditional singing and dancing of the reed dance. This dance offers a veritable opportunity to school the girls in their culture. Older Zulu women teach the young girls, who have to be virgins in order to participate, about how they should act as grown women. As part of this, they promote celibacy until marriage, promote fertility, and teach the girls respect for their bodies.

While the lessons and ceremonies are steeped in pure Zulu tradition and culture, this mass gathering of young people is also an opportunity to discuss contemporary social issues that affect them, such as HIV and teen pregnancies.

For visitors, the highlight of the event is the reed-giving ceremony. Led by Zulu princesses, the young women make a sea of colour in intricately beaded outfits as each of them collects a cut reed and present it to the king. Zulu men also participate in this part of the ceremony, singing and mock fighting.

According to Zulu tradition, myth has it that the original ancestor emerged from a reed bed, so the laying of reeds at the king's feet symbolises respect for the Zulu culture and also a way to give thanks for a bountiful harvest. The reeds are also used to build traditional Zulu huts and to craft the mats and baskets for which the Zulu people are famous.

So, add it to you list to visit South Africa to witness firsthand this cultural beauty, maybe you can find a South African wife for yourself 😍

Eskista Dance Of Ethiopia

Eskista is a traditional Ethiopian dance, native to the Amhara region, performed by both men and women usually in a group. The dance captivates the audience with its energetic movement and infectious rhythm. It is a testament to Ethiopia's rich tradition and enduring spirit.

The dance involves rolling the shoulder blades, bouncing the shoulders, and jilting the chest. It is typically performed in traditional Ethiopian weddings, religious ceremonies, and cultural gatherings, where it serves as a vibrant expression of joy and unity. It is produced with traditional instruments such as the krar, flute, drums and masinqo.

What sets the Eskista dance apart is not just its physicality, but also its emotional depth. Each movement is imbued with meaning, through subtle gestures and intricate footwork, dancers convey narratives of love, devotion, and the triumph of the human spirit. It is a language spoken not with words, but with the body and it resonates with all who witness it's beauty. To have a glimpse of my explanation you can just open your YouTube and search for it. I'm certain you will be lost in the beauty of this African dance.

This dance is not just about the bodily movement. It captures the communal life and deep-rooted traditions of the Amhara people and above all it reveals the alluring smile and expose the mesmerising beauty of Ethiopian women.

Just leave everything you are doing, go search for it on TikTok or YouTube. It will definitely worth your time.

African music and dance are inextricably linked...

Pluritongue Fact Of The Day: African music was first recorded by Egyptian musicians in the 3rd millennium BC.