Mendiani, A Rhythm for Young West African Girls
The video presented here is coming from my old D.Tube dead files. It is of the Wasylla Drummers in 1998 from the show I produced at the Fine Arts Center in Colorado Springs.
Wysylla Drummers: Taina Lucas, Crystal Bliss, William Dinwoodie, Stuart Dinwoodie
Mendiani is from N.E. Guinea, Malinke people. Young girls between the ages of 6-13 are selected by the former Mendiani women of the village to be initiated into the association The girls are selected because they are brave and courageous. The girls must be extremely limber, agile and strong. When the young girls are dressed in the special robes they are referred to as Mendiani.
When they are brought to the festival location they are carried on the shoulders of men while the rhythm Denadon is played. Once they arrive at the festival location the girls are taken off the men's shoulders and as soon as their feet touch the ground the rhythm and songs change to Mendiani. They begin by dancing in unison in a choreographed sequence and will perform spectacular acrobatic stunts.
Very colourful costumes to match the drumming energy!
Have a nice day!
Thank you. Did it bring you energy?
Actually I used to do crazy or improvised dance similar to this when I felt the need to cleanse away the stale feeling!
Perhaps I should go back to the old habit! This would be very beneficial to my psyche!
Sounds like you need to turn up the beat and get moving...enjoy!
Will do! Need to freshen up a bit!
Thanks
That's some real energetic aerobic dancing going on there love it 🌝
I thought of you when I put it up and your nice request for me to come back with more.
Awwww....you so thoughtful thank you so much and i did enjoy it 👍
That is some serious, energetic dance.
Love the colourful consumes in the first picture.
Thank you. The photos are years old but you can tell they were full of color.
Very cheery rhythm! I wonder, are those selected girls trained somehow to dance? To move? And why do they must be brave and courageous?
I think because they really push the girls physically to dangerous stunts. I believe it to be acrobatic than dance.
The dancers in this video did their own choreography to the rhythm.
I'm crazy for these rhythms :D Lovely.
I'm glad you like it.
Wow, check out that high-energy dancing! Amazing!