Every culture in the world dances. Dance features in religious ceremonies, at weddings and other celebrations and even at funerals. For many it's a form of communication and at the southern tip of Africa, the arrival of rubber boots soon inspired a dance form that is uniquely South African.
The story begins in the latter part of the nineteenth century, with the discovery of gold in an area that became known as the Witwatersrand. People came from all over in a feverish gold rush. A large mining camp developed into a bustling town that by the turn of the century was a city. Today Johannesburg is one of the largest cities on the African continent and much of South Africa's economy is still built upon its mineral wealth, especially its gold.
When mining operations started, they grew so fast that more young men were needed to do the hard work. The mining companies brought in indentured labor from countries such as China but they soon realized that they could get labor at even lower prices right there at home. Hut taxes were introduced to tribal villages and to pay for these, the young men from the villages had to go work in the mines. The gold mines still employ vast numbers of men from South Africa as well as from neighboring countries such as Lesotho, Botswana and Mozambique.
In order to get to the gold, the mines became deeper. Many of today's gold mines stretch about a mile into the depths of the Earth. Working in those depths is not easy, with intense heat and high levels of humidity. Underground streams mean that you will often find yourself up to your ankles in water and it wasn't long before a standard part of a miner's kit was a pair of waterproof boots, which in South Africa are known as gumboots.
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.
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.
What the mine bosses never knew was that the secret codes were still there in the dance moves. The miners couldn't be too outspoken about their working conditions because they would lose their jobs. However, they expressed their frustration in their dances, conveying hidden messages about the abuse, the dangers, the very low wages and the long working hours. They would even make fun of their superiors through their dancing.
While gumboot dancing still exists on the mines, today it's a legitimate art form more often seen on stage. It's popular with tourists visiting South Africa. There are even professional troupes that tour the world to showcase the dance that started with a pair of boots.
The story begins in the latter part of the nineteenth century, with the discovery of gold in an area that became known as the Witwatersrand. People came from all over in a feverish gold rush. A large mining camp developed into a bustling town that by the turn of the century was a city. Today Johannesburg is one of the largest cities on the African continent and much of South Africa's economy is still built upon its mineral wealth, especially its gold.
When mining operations started, they grew so fast that more young men were needed to do the hard work. The mining companies brought in indentured labor from countries such as China but they soon realized that they could get labor at even lower prices right there at home. Hut taxes were introduced to tribal villages and to pay for these, the young men from the villages had to go work in the mines. The gold mines still employ vast numbers of men from South Africa as well as from neighboring countries such as Lesotho, Botswana and Mozambique.
In order to get to the gold, the mines became deeper. Many of today's gold mines stretch about a mile into the depths of the Earth. Working in those depths is not easy, with intense heat and high levels of humidity. Underground streams mean that you will often find yourself up to your ankles in water and it wasn't long before a standard part of a miner's kit was a pair of waterproof boots, which in South Africa are known as gumboots.
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.
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.
What the mine bosses never knew was that the secret codes were still there in the dance moves. The miners couldn't be too outspoken about their working conditions because they would lose their jobs. However, they expressed their frustration in their dances, conveying hidden messages about the abuse, the dangers, the very low wages and the long working hours. They would even make fun of their superiors through their dancing.
While gumboot dancing still exists on the mines, today it's a legitimate art form more often seen on stage. It's popular with tourists visiting South Africa. There are even professional troupes that tour the world to showcase the dance that started with a pair of boots.
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