Maypole Dance Research Paper

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Recommended: The role of religion

Clarisa Williams
HHP 248
The History of the Maypole
April 26, 2018
The maypole dance is performed by many cultures around the world. Countries including Germany, Mexico, Italy, Norway, Pakistan, and France all have a version of the maypole dance (Time and Date, 2018). This dance has played a role in shaping the dance culture of different countries. Learning the history of the Maypole dance and how it was brought to different countries can help explore the dance culture of a specific group. Answering how and why a country has incorporated this dance into their history and traditions will reveal why the dance has travelled to that region.
Jamaica is an island located in the West Indies and is a part of the Caribbean Bassin (Jamaica, n.d.). With …show more content…

The pole could be anything from the trunk of a tree to a large branch (Maypole Dance, 2018). The ribbon would usually be fabric but sometimes were substituted with a long flower chain and woven greenery (Maypole Dance, 2018). There would be an even number of ten or more performers, either all girls or guys and girls (Maypole Dance, 2018). The dance would be performed with two circles, one being for the lead and the other for the follow (Maypole Dance, 2018). By working together, the dancers would weave in and out of each other in a circle causing a plaiting affect with the ribbons (Maypole Dance, 2018). This created intricate pattern with the ribbon that the dancers were holding (Maypole Dance, 2018). A basket weave would be the first pattern created followed by a more intricate plait (Maypole Dance, 2018). After plaiting for a while, the dancers would dance around to unplait the pattern (Maypole Dance, 2018). Music for the maypole dance would included a fiddle, pipe, or any other instrument that could be found (Maypole Dance, …show more content…

In 1672, slave traders started to provide African slaves to the English Colonies in the Caribbean Basin to work sugar plantations (Jamaica History, 2017). Life on the plantation for the African slaves was difficult and they made many attempts to escape (Jamaica History, 2017). Many plantation owners would use Christianity as a means of justifying slavery (BBC, 2007). Verses would be taken from the Holy Bible to support servitude by the African Slaves (BBC, 2007). This tactic was used on the African slaves of Jamaica who eventually were forced Christians by the English Colonies (Jamaica History, 2017). The practices and celebrations of the English was now being done by the African slaves in Jamaica (Jamaican History, 2017). The celebration of May Day continued with the English Colonies in

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