Learning about rain dances
During the current water crisis, people from different cultural backgrounds are doing everything they can to encourage the summer rains.
Some churches around Gauteng have held “pray for rain” services. In the Native American culture, tribe members would offer to perform rain dances for settlers in exchange for goods.
Men and women from these tribes still gather to this day, adorned in special headdresses and jewels, mainly turquoise in colour, and perform this dance when the weather is hot and dry.
The steps of the rain dance itself are quite intricate, and unlike circle dances, which are seen in many Native American ceremonies, the men and women stand in separate lines and make zigzagging patterns.
There is an alternating loud and soft singing by various dancers in the ceremony. Drums are not used in the ritual. Instead, the rhythm is kept by the sound of the dancers’ even steps on the dirt.
Watch the video below to see how to perform the rain dance.
