People have been dancing since the first humans could walk upright. Dance is a great form of expression and different cultures have different dances. New dance styles develop all the time too and in South Africa, rubber boots led to the creation of a unique dance form with a fascinating story.
In the late nineteenth century, gold was discovered in the area around what is today Johannesburg, one of Africa's largest cities. In fact, Johannesburg started out as a camp for miners seeking their fortune on the gold reefs and boomed within only a few years. It's called the City of Gold and the area's mine are still among the world's most productive.
As mining operations grew, those in charge realized that they needed more laborers. They imported indentured laborers from China but an even cheaper source to exploit was right there in the country. Young black men came to Johannesburg from their tribal villages to make money which could support their families and pay for the hut taxes that the government implemented. Even today, most miners in South Africa are black men that come from the country and its neighbors.
The endless thirst for gold meant that the mines became ever deeper. Many South African gold mines are now around a mile deep and most of the world's deepest mines are located in the Johannesburg area. It's hard working so far below the surface. The heat and humidity are oppressive and it's quite common to stand with your feet ankle deep in water. This led to health problems and boots made of rubber were given to the workers so that they could keep their feet dry. The workers called these gumboots.
In the beginning, talking during your shift was prohibited. The miners couldn't communicate through the use of sign language either because there wasn't much light deep down in the shafts. However, they soon devised a series of secret codes by slapping on their chests and on the boots and by stomping their feet.
Over time, the secret codes developed into dance movements. In Africa, people live and breathe for music and dance and the mine bosses learned to accept that the workers would dance while they were working. Later they even encouraged miners to take part in these dances, since it was a healthy way for them to entertain themselves between shifts when they were living far from their families.
When gumboot dancing became a legitimate art form on the mines, it didn't stop the secret messages. The mine bosses never knew that in the dances, they were often being made fun of. The dancers would do parodies of particular superiors and would use their dances to talk about the terrible conditions they were working in, the long hours underground, the low wages and life in the miners' hostels where they were being housed.
Today, gumboot dancing has moved from the mines to the stage. Dancing troupes often take their performances on tour in Europe and other corners of the world. You'll also find performers dancing at tourist sites such as Gold Reef City, the popular Johannesburg attraction that tells the story of gold mining in the city. It's even been incorporated into a song on Paul Simon's 'Graceland' album, which brought South African music to the world.
In the late nineteenth century, gold was discovered in the area around what is today Johannesburg, one of Africa's largest cities. In fact, Johannesburg started out as a camp for miners seeking their fortune on the gold reefs and boomed within only a few years. It's called the City of Gold and the area's mine are still among the world's most productive.
As mining operations grew, those in charge realized that they needed more laborers. They imported indentured laborers from China but an even cheaper source to exploit was right there in the country. Young black men came to Johannesburg from their tribal villages to make money which could support their families and pay for the hut taxes that the government implemented. Even today, most miners in South Africa are black men that come from the country and its neighbors.
The endless thirst for gold meant that the mines became ever deeper. Many South African gold mines are now around a mile deep and most of the world's deepest mines are located in the Johannesburg area. It's hard working so far below the surface. The heat and humidity are oppressive and it's quite common to stand with your feet ankle deep in water. This led to health problems and boots made of rubber were given to the workers so that they could keep their feet dry. The workers called these gumboots.
In the beginning, talking during your shift was prohibited. The miners couldn't communicate through the use of sign language either because there wasn't much light deep down in the shafts. However, they soon devised a series of secret codes by slapping on their chests and on the boots and by stomping their feet.
Over time, the secret codes developed into dance movements. In Africa, people live and breathe for music and dance and the mine bosses learned to accept that the workers would dance while they were working. Later they even encouraged miners to take part in these dances, since it was a healthy way for them to entertain themselves between shifts when they were living far from their families.
When gumboot dancing became a legitimate art form on the mines, it didn't stop the secret messages. The mine bosses never knew that in the dances, they were often being made fun of. The dancers would do parodies of particular superiors and would use their dances to talk about the terrible conditions they were working in, the long hours underground, the low wages and life in the miners' hostels where they were being housed.
Today, gumboot dancing has moved from the mines to the stage. Dancing troupes often take their performances on tour in Europe and other corners of the world. You'll also find performers dancing at tourist sites such as Gold Reef City, the popular Johannesburg attraction that tells the story of gold mining in the city. It's even been incorporated into a song on Paul Simon's 'Graceland' album, which brought South African music to the world.
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