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.
Over the years, mines were dug deeper and deeper and today many of the deepest mines in the world are located on the reef known as the Witwatersrand. Working so deep underneath the Earth's surface means that conditions are harsh. It's hot and humid and miners were soon given boots that they dubbed gumboots to keep their feet dry and prevent skin conditions.
Especially in the early days of the mines, communication among the miners was difficult. Talking wasn't allowed and because of the darkness, using sing language wasn't an option. The workers soon realized that they could communicate in secret by stamping their feet, slapping on the boots and beating on their chests in something akin to Morse code.
Tapping out the codes was soon accompanied by intricate dance-like movements. These became more rhythmic too. The bosses on the mines came to appreciate these dances and because they thought that gumboot dancing was a good way to keep the men entertained when they were living far from their homes, they even encouraged this new form of expression.
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.
Over the years, mines were dug deeper and deeper and today many of the deepest mines in the world are located on the reef known as the Witwatersrand. Working so deep underneath the Earth's surface means that conditions are harsh. It's hot and humid and miners were soon given boots that they dubbed gumboots to keep their feet dry and prevent skin conditions.
Especially in the early days of the mines, communication among the miners was difficult. Talking wasn't allowed and because of the darkness, using sing language wasn't an option. The workers soon realized that they could communicate in secret by stamping their feet, slapping on the boots and beating on their chests in something akin to Morse code.
Tapping out the codes was soon accompanied by intricate dance-like movements. These became more rhythmic too. The bosses on the mines came to appreciate these dances and because they thought that gumboot dancing was a good way to keep the men entertained when they were living far from their homes, they even encouraged this new form of expression.
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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