dancingthroughbotswana

[dancingthroughbotswana]

The Battle of Expression

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The picture above features one piece of street art on an old, closed up tuck shop in Old Naledi, Botswana. 

There is very little street art or graffiti because it’s strictly not allowed in the country; however, it is slowly gaining popularity, especially with the upcoming generation. This whole neighborhood works as a piece of art because there are so few pieces in the whole of Botswana. In itself Old Naledi represents a positive artistic outlook on a low-income community. The tuck shops have previously just been closed, run-down buildings but have now been given new meaning with their updated looks. This specific situation was created for Arts for Change Initiative started by a group of young adults looking to promote arts culture in their community.

This initiative was done in 2013 – it seems that at least some of the pieces are still around, even though they are difficult to find even through the internet. Online the most easily found pieces are done by an artist by the name of Jace. He was one of 6 artists taking part in the initiative, and 1 of 3 that visited from Réunion Island to do so.

This expresses an unofficial tourist attraction because of the infrequency and unlikelihood of running into street art elsewhere in Botswana. Plus, it is an important and impressive movement created by and for young people to express themselves artistically while spreading positivity throughout their community. This contributes to a broader definition of street art that is not common in the public eye, pushing the boundaries and blurring the rigid line between self-expression, graffiti, and art.

HERE is a video created around the initiative!

[dancingthroughbotswana]

Just Dance

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Accessibility to arts programs is a world-wide issue whether due to lack of programming, space, time, or funds. The arts are often thought of as completely separate or even oppositional to standard education, despite researched benefits in livelihood, motivation, creativity, and productivity in schools and workplaces a like when the two are intertwined.

Bringing together the world-wide dance community not only could combat this separation of arts and education but can also provide a space for cultural learning and intermingling. An international engagement program I would love to introduce to Botswana and the world is an International Dance Showcase where students and teachers from around the world are connected to a community of travel, personal style, and cultural exchange.

This cypher was sourced from Swing On In.

This project would be multi-layered with an online platform, and a biannual traveling showcase that pops up in different locations around the world. It would be a highly collaborative project, involving interested students, teachers, and dance studios to coordinate dates, travel scholarships, and to run the online platform. 

The program would run through local high schools or universities in order to house traveling dancers and to cultivate a connection between the school system and the importance of dance. The showcases themselves can act as networking events to meet similar artists from thousands of miles (or kilometers) away, enhancing each dancers individual dance style while recognizing a communal art form and appreciation.

Including an online platform allows for long-term connections to burn for years after initial sparks are formed with the in person engagements. 

HERE is an international dance playlist to start practicing moving to different styles and languages!

[dancingthroughbotswana]

Shake it, Shake it

Culture shock is a phenomenon that can be caused by shifts, large and small. Because traveling involves extensive interaction with people, the different greetings around the world can be a major point of confusion or a lovely way of engagement, depending on how prepared we are as travelers.

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Differences held in the handshake between my home-place and Botswana: United States – it can be done in multitude of different ways – what matters more is how a person decides to shake a hand not whose hand they are shaking. Handshake sometimes stands on its own and can range from casual to fancy to business depending on the context or mood of the person. Hand position is straight forward and literally grabbing and shaking another person’s hand, anywhere between waist and chest height.

Botswana – while similar, it is much more structured and style depends on if you are shaking a man’s hand or a woman’s hand. Technique is supposed to involve the left hand under the right elbow with right hands held with locked thumbs (similar to an arm-wrestling match stance). The position is held still and sturdy at waist level while a greeting is said.

This greeting is important for interactions and introductions in Botswana as a sign of respect. Doing it improperly or forgetting get lead to negative encounters with others which could end up defining the whole experience because of the importance of human interaction, especially during travel. To minimize the “culture confusion,” I would start practicing this new handshake well before I left on my trip so it’s a more natural reaction when I approach someone. Also I’d rely on and ask for feedback from the first acquaintances I made in Botswana, so I have sincere tips on method, beyond what I read about online.

[dancingthroughbotswana]

We Are What Our Thinking Makes Us

Remember the danger of a single story? Not only is it important to keep in mind when meeting new people, it’s also imperative to recognize when travelling! Places are often essentialized and reduced to a major news headline or an elevator pitched story, dismissing a country’s depth and generating rash expectations.

This photo is from an interesting article in ‘The Conversation’ about ways people are working to change the narrative media has prescribed to Africa. 

One misrepresentation in media sources involves grouping Botswana into a generalized Africa, stripping away its individual standing as a country. Further, this oversimplified ‘Africa’ is often portrayed through a single lens of poverty. The ever-growing mining industry, successful tourism industry, and fully capable economy of Botswana all stand as challenges to both of these.

Along with their diamond mining, check out these incredible companies and people helping drive the economy: Businesses and People. Reducing Botswana to the simple, single faceted idea of poverty is problematic because it discredits the hard-working and successful population of the country and leads to misconstrued opinions of the country and uninformed reasons for travelling there.

In terms of travelling, this can also affect our expectations of what activities are available and experiences accessible: limiting what a person searches for in a space and ultimately leading to missed opportunities simply because of we weren’t looking. I know dance is one activity that I’m always on the look for, so I’m excited to one day check out La Danse Panier, an all-age dance studio in Gaborone. Check out their killer MOVES.

Another consequence of stereotyping, commonly termed as a savior complex, is people expecting to improve people’s lives or bring over knowledge from their home-place by travelling there. This can immediately breed the sense that 1. There is nothing to learn from the place, people or experience, and 2. Ways of life or thought processes from home are in some way better.

By reducing Botswana to an essence of poverty or simplifying it to be just another section of Africa diminishes the value and variety of people living and working there. On the contrary, the vibrant and diverse country has a full history to make it unique while maintaining the steady, rising network within and amongst the globe.

Picture of Gaborone, Botswana from THIS site

The Botswana music industry is also booming! In case you’re in the mood to put on your dancing shoes, check out Punah Gabasiane-Molale for some jazzy tunes.

* This blog title is a Nigerian proverb reminding us to not let previous beliefs limit or restrict our potential or experience.

[dancingthroughbotswana]

The Heartbeat of Music

Photo from Otukile Phibion

You know when you turn onto the street of the party and hear the music pounding in the background, the dull roar of voices blending into the beat? And no matter how many other sounds are in the air, the steady drum carries through; maybe making your toes tap or your heart flutter. This beat could be made with hands, drumsticks, or even just a computer – but it is very possibly related back to the Bakalanga drum in some way.

Dance and music are deeply intertwined and many of the dances and music in popular culture today, styles such as jazz and hip hop, have their roots in African styles. Percussion sounds like the Bakalanga drums have provided a heartbeat to music all over the world, unifying dancers, musicians, and audiences to the steady rock. They also stand as a symbol of Botswana.

There are so many kinds of hand drums! This picture is thanks to Djoliba Percussions.

This type of drum is specifically used in Botswana for traditional dances and rituals of the Bakalanga community. The rhythmic sounds associated with these drums has become a symbol for the country because of the presence in mainstream media – however, this means it is also often removed from the traditional and intended contexts. Depending on the song, this symbol can be respected and used to spread knowledge of a history of music. But it can be normalized or appropriated by artists who either lack awareness or fail to give proper recognition to the roots of the deep percussion they utilize.

Recognizing from where or who the different sounds of music come from helps creators get due credit and allows us to better understand the history behind the sounds we are hearing and further appreciate and relate to it, through our ears and our bodies.