Modernity: One Of The Negative Effects Of African Traditional Dance

African traditional dance has been one of the victims of colonialism modernity .Dances such as reed dance (umkhosi womhlanga) and wedding dance (amhubo) has been neglected, however they have not stopped practicing them but the way they are done is no longer similar than it was before .Maxwell Xolani Rani says that “modernity is having an adverse effect on traditional dance in Africa” (1996; 15).

Reed dance is an African dance practiced in South Africa especially by the Zulu people .This dance was done by young Zulu girls (virgins).This was done at (Enyokeni) the palace of the Zulu kingdom situated at KwaNongoma .It usually happens during the month September , the girls would gather as from Friday until Sunday. They usually come from all the

It was usually danced for free there was no need for paying the dancers.

Christianity and urbanisation have had a negative impact on the of African traditional dance ever since Christianity was introduced .Urbanisation has also played part as people were moving from their places to township lives so they end up adopting other people’s doing and forget about theirs. According to Rani western education has also effect on the way people changed during that time most people neglected their religious practices immediately they get educated they believe their religion is embarrassing and against God’s will (2013; 1).

As it has happened with the reed dance back in years it was known that every young girl in the village attends this dance it was taken compulsory but since the effect of the First World War things has not been similar. Rani asserts that “modernity has caused African dancers to adjust movements quality and the roots of their dances to create a new urban Africa social dances” (2013; IV).He says that modern agencies such as Christianity education, multimedia fashion and geography influences South Africa social traditional dance (2013;

Christianity has not only affected traditional dance but also the existence of the African traditional dance.Rani says the existence of the traditional dance was threatened by the colonisers they did not allow the traditional dance to be appreciated (2013; 12).The development of the mining industries, railway building and economic growth has been the most cause of urbanisation in Africa.Rani argues during that time many people moved from their places to seek employment in urban places (2013;13).The mass number of urbanisation caused a very terrible effect on African social traditional dance in such a way that people lost their principles and cultural behaviour. Since the colonisation South Africa has undergone some changes with western influences and urban migration. He says that dance has become an entertainment arena in the areas of urbanisation.

Although African traditional dance has been transformed changed and affected in many ways but it still there and enjoyable. This simply means that although they take you away from your wellbeing but they can never take you away from you .our traditional dance is part of ourselves it will never be taken from us. We still