Page 70 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 14

Leadership

of Harare, is also a well-known hub
for these masquerade dances and
competition there is stiff. When in
costume the dancers have a way
of distorting their words so as to
communicate privately with their
dance members and band. As they
dance the band forms a semi-circle
around them making room for them
A group of masquerade dancers to use all the different tricks up
their sleeves, to the delight of the
males who have been appointed by some of which draw their inspira- spectators. A whole night can pass
the chief of their village. Their real tion and influence from the modern by whilst these celebrations are in
identities are a closely held secret world, popular personalities and full force, with the dancers imbib-
and their masks, which are made of even modern technology. ing strong home brewed beer to lift
wood and straw, become their new their spirits for this ‘great dance’.
public selves. The initiation into Masquerade ceremonies and dances Additionally, in musical videos of
Nyau begins with a mysterious stay are popular in the countries where big Zim Dancehall artists such as
of a week or more stay at a ceme- these beliefs are held and their “Enzo I Shall”, masquerade dancers
tery. The Nyau are responsible for secrets and practices are jealously now feature more often; for this
the initiation of young men into guarded, despite the mixed emo- tradition is not only mysterious but
adulthood and they perform the tions they evoke. It is difficult to also eye-catching. Another big artist
Gule Wamkulu at the end of the look upon them now from a lens of in Zimbabwe by the name “Baba
initiation process. The dance is also purity and clarity, since the waters Harare” has a song which he sang
performed at the request of the surrounding these ceremonies and in this dialect. In the video, the mas-
leader of a particular community rituals were rendered murky by the querades were dancing their feet off.
and is also carried out at funerals, missionaries and the white coloniz- I cannot say whether or not these
major celebrations, weddings and ers who called them practices ani- Zimbabwean artists understand
for political purposes. Former Pres- mistic, demonic, dark practices and the full significance of the Nyau
ident of Malawi, Kamuzu Banda, witchcraft. This is why many people and Gule Wamkulu and what they
himself a Chewa, is said to have are fearful of them. I believe that and their dances truly represent, or
used the Gule Wamkulu to intimi- just because you do not understand whether this is another way in which
date his opponents into submission a people and their ways, that is not African cultural symbolism is used
and compliance with his wishes. a reason to persecute them. If only for capital gain.
one could travel back in time to the
Much like the Dogon priests, the day they started, so that we could Way back these masqueraders would
Gule Wamkulu dancers act as a to find out the truth behind their chase people around or even beat
bridge to communicate with the origins and purposes. them as they had liberty to act as
spirit world, a practice that caused they pleased, but that was then.
much discomfort with the coloniz- In Zimbabwe, these dances are very Now it seems they dance for their
ers who tried to ban it altogether. popular and nowadays masquer- pure enjoyment, whilst upholding
In the end, the Catholics ended up ade dancers even hold their own their traditions somewhat.
combining elements of the dance competitions to find out which is
with the Christian story, as they the best dance group. This happens That is the Gule Wamkulu dance for
have done with many other religions particularly to the west of Mashona- you my treasured readers. Culture is
across the world throughout history. land in parts like Chinhoyi which is put on a whole new level through
The great mother was now called also a farming/mining region, it’s a these traditional practices which no-
Maria (as you can see from the Zim- common sight to see the masquer- body can never take away from us.
babwe dance I mentioned earlier) ade dancers wearing their varied It is an honor to be proudly African,
and the white colonists were called costumes and traveling in lorries, through and through.
St. Peter and so on. (cycloscope. singing merrily on their way to
net) The Nyau created and continue the stadium to lock horns in their
to create a diverse range of masks, competitions. Mufakose, a suburb

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