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.
Late in the Victorian Era, it was discovered that South Africa is home to untold riches. An area called the Witwatersrand turned out to have vast gold reefs and the ensuing gold rush led to the formation of Johannesburg, the country's largest city. Even today, the City of Gold is at the center of the South African economy and gold is still the country's major export.
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.
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.
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.
Africans are born with dancing in their blood and it wasn't long before the miners turned their secret codes into dance moves. They would often sing while they were working, so their superiors accepted the movements as part of the act. Over time, the mine bosses realized that the dancing was a way for the men to alleviate the boredom of life in a miners' hostel and they encouraged the development of gumboot dancing.
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.
Over the years, the dance form took on a life of its own. It's now performed on stage and at tourist sites. It's even incorporated into high-brow art, such as contemporary dance and choral performances. It's become part of the South African identity too, which is quite a feat for something that had its origins with the humblest of workers.
Late in the Victorian Era, it was discovered that South Africa is home to untold riches. An area called the Witwatersrand turned out to have vast gold reefs and the ensuing gold rush led to the formation of Johannesburg, the country's largest city. Even today, the City of Gold is at the center of the South African economy and gold is still the country's major export.
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.
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.
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.
Africans are born with dancing in their blood and it wasn't long before the miners turned their secret codes into dance moves. They would often sing while they were working, so their superiors accepted the movements as part of the act. Over time, the mine bosses realized that the dancing was a way for the men to alleviate the boredom of life in a miners' hostel and they encouraged the development of gumboot dancing.
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.
Over the years, the dance form took on a life of its own. It's now performed on stage and at tourist sites. It's even incorporated into high-brow art, such as contemporary dance and choral performances. It's become part of the South African identity too, which is quite a feat for something that had its origins with the humblest of workers.
