Feared Ritual Dancers in Zimbabwe Try to Change Public Image

Feared Ritual¹ Dancers in Zimbabwe Try to Change Public Image

Gule Wamkulu is a dance performed by unidentified men in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia. The group performs the dance at ceremonies to mark adulthood² among other important life events. They wear complex masks, makeup³ and traditional clothing. The dance is seen as a way to connect with spirits of the dead.

However, the group today is increasingly opening up to the public.

Gule Wamkulu is rooted in the Chewa people of southern Africa. Followers⁴ spread the dance to Zimbabwe in the early 1900s.

It is hard to estimate how many Gule Wamkulu performers there are. The dancers belong to small, loosely connected groups. Gule Wamkulu was considered evil by Christian⁵ colonizers who attempted to ban the tradition.

Notice Mazura organized a dance in an area of Zimbabwe's capital city called Mufakose. A group of people, including young children, came to get a closer look at the dance.

In the past, "even the adults would prefer to watch our dances from a distance. People were scared of us," said Mazura.

In 2008, UNESCO included Gule Wamkulu on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage⁶ of Humanity⁷. It is a list of arts, ceremonies, and traditions found around the world that are passed from one generation to the next. The United Nations agency describes Gule Wamkulu as a "secret society of initiated⁹ men" involved in a "ritual dance" dating to the 17th century.

Over the years, some reports came out that damaged the image of Gule Wamkulu. There was a story about a young man who died during a ceremony. Another report said a man was severely¹⁰ attacked for breaking group rules.

Gule Wamkulu in Zimbabwe is also threatened by people who falsely claim to be members of the group. These people carry out performances and falsely identify for criminal purposes. They are called copycats. Sometimes, these copycat groups are violent.

The problem is one of the main reasons for the public image campaign.

Kennedy Kachuruka is the leader of the Zimbabwe Gule Wamkulu Organization. "We want people to respect us and not fear us," he said." We don't want to push them away, but we want to charm¹¹ them. That is the only way they can appreciate who we really are."

Kachuruka is also president of the Zimbabwe National Traditional Dancers Association. He described Gule Wamkulu as "a ceremonial dance to connect with the dead."

The dances are traditionally performed at funerals, weddings, and other events involving members. But the group has been doing more public performances in recent years, including performing with popular musicians.

Members hope that the more people learn about the real Gule Wamkulu, the more easily they will recognize the copiers.

Still, long-held views are difficult to change.

"These people are evil," said George Dezha of Mufakose. He added, "They move around with weapons and are violent criminals."

There is still much mystery surrounding Gule Wamkulu. The identity of those who wear face coverings is kept secret. The religious centers where they prepare for performance is closed to non-members. And becoming a member involves secret activities.

Kachuruka said they are trying to keep the rituals¹² left to them by their fathers. And added the most important part is their secrets. "Without them we are nothing," he said. And he added, "It's not just a dance, it's a way of life. It's a culture and a religion."

Phineas Magwait is an expert on music and culture at the Midlands State University in Zimbabwe. He said the main reason for copiers is financial. Unsuspecting people pay for dances from unofficial performers.

He called the public outreach campaign "a turning point" for Gule Wamkulu that would help outsiders understand it as a cultural activity.

Words in This Story

mask – n. a covering used to hide or disguise¹³ your face

makeup – n. materials (such as wigs¹⁴ or cosmetics) that are used to change the appearance of an actor

prefer – v. to like (someone or something) better than someone or something else

scared – adj. afraid of something

society – n. people in general thought of as living together in organized communities with shared laws, traditions, and values

initiate⁸ – v. to formally accept (someone) as a member of a group or organization usually in a special ceremony

charm – v. to attract (someone) by being beautiful or welcoming

appreciate – v. to understand the worth or importance of (something or someone)

1 ritual   

adj.例行的，老规矩的，惯常的

参考例句：

• This was the monthly ritual.这是每月一次的例规。
• I realized that here the conventions required me to make the ritual noises.我意识到此时按照惯例我应该说些客套话。

2 adulthood   

n.成年，成人期

参考例句：

• Some infantile actions survive into adulthood.某些婴儿期的行为一直保持到成年期。
• Few people nowadays are able to maintain friendships into adulthood.如今很少有人能将友谊维持到成年。

3 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

4 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

5 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

6 heritage   

n.传统，遗产，继承物

参考例句：

• The ancient buildings are part of the national heritage.这些古建筑是民族遗产的一部分。
• We Chinese have a great cultural heritage.我们中国人有伟大的文化遗产。

7 humanity   

n.人类，[总称]人(性)，人道[pl.]人文学科

参考例句：

• Such an act is a disgrace to humanity.这种行为是人类的耻辱。
• We should treat animals with humanity.我们应该以仁慈之心对待动物。

8 initiate   

vt.开始，创始，发动；启蒙，使入门；引入

参考例句：

• A language teacher should initiate pupils into the elements of grammar.语言老师应该把基本语法教给学生。
• They wanted to initiate a discussion on economics.他们想启动一次经济学讨论。

9 initiated   

n. 创始人 adj. 新加入的 vt. 开始，创始，启蒙，介绍加入

参考例句：

• He has not yet been thoroughly initiated into the mysteries of computers. 他对计算机的奥秘尚未入门。
• The artist initiated the girl into the art world in France. 这个艺术家介绍这个女孩加入巴黎艺术界。

10 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

11 charm   

vt.使着迷，使陶醉；n.招人喜欢之处，魅力

参考例句：

• With all imperfections the short play has a real charm.尽管有不少缺欠，这出小戏仍颇具魅力。
• He could resist her charm no longer.他再也抗拒不住她的魅力。

12 rituals   

（宗教等的）仪式( ritual的名词复数 )； 例行公事，老规矩

参考例句：

• A cognac before bed is one of our little nightly rituals. 临睡之前喝点儿干邑是我们每天晚上的小习惯之一。
• Many of the tribe's customs and rituals are as old as the hills. 这部落的许多风俗、仪式都极其古老。

13 disguise   

vt.把...假扮起来；n.伪装物，假装，伪装

参考例句：

• He went about in the disguise of a sailor.他伪装成海员到处流窜。
• It is impossible to disguise the fact that business is bad.生意不好这件事无法隐瞒。

14 wigs   

n.假发，法官帽( wig的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They say that wigs will be coming in again this year. 据说今年又要流行戴假发了。 来自辞典例句
• Frank, we needed more wigs than we thought, and we have to do some advertising. 弗兰克，因为我们需要更多的假发，而且我们还要做点广告。 来自电影对白