No abstract

Ngoma is a Kiswahili term which means traditional dance. In this essay the terms ‘ngoma’ and ‘dance’ are used interchangeably. The research was conducted in Dar es Salaam and Iringa among four ngoma groups of young people: Lumumba, Hayahaya, Alamano and Tanangozi. Theatre stakeholders were involved to seek their perceptions of the global impact on ngoma. In-depth interviews, participant-performer research, and group discussions were the methods employed, focussing on the content, costumes, musical instruments and the make-up used, to explore how and why cultures from around the world influence the way this traditional dance form is performed by young people. It emerged that a range of factors drive innovation in this dance form, including the dancers’ quest for recognition, their individual creativity, the performers’ desire to discover and display unique identities. The findings suggest that in this age of globalisation, international influences upon aesthetic sense and expression are inevitable. But in the case of Tanzania’s ngoma, which has been preserved conscientiously for decades, protective responses to such influences should be maintained vigilantly, in order to shield this valued intangible heritage from fading away.

Informed by the theory of attitude and original data gathered with dancers in Dar es Salaam and Iringa, this article argues that dancers in Tanzania are dogged by lack of recognition, infrastructural, attitudinal and economic challenges. These problems arise primarily because dancing is largely an ad hoc and autonomous career that employs a considerable number of Tanzanians regardless of their socio-economic and education background. However, what dancers encounter in the career disappoint many of them particularly when they want to use it to earn a living as terpsichoreans. The article shows that failure of community members and the government to give the performing arts industry, particularly theatre and dancing, the attention it deserves frustrated many artistes including dancers. Thus, the article suggests that government-owned theatrical infrastructures be hired at affordable rates with more theatres to be built to ease the problem of limited venues for theatrical performances. Moreover, dealing with the problem of undervaluing dancers that, subsequently, impact on them economically and how they are perceived also requires a systematic documentation of the contributions of dancers and the theatre industry generally.

Children’s participation in traditional games is crucial for their social and intellectual development. In this light, one of the puzzling issues of our time is the drastic decrease in children’s outdoor play. This study sets out to investigate the reasons why, by identifying the factors that prevent children from participating in traditional games in urban Tanzania. The hypothesis driving this inquiry initially proposed that access to televisions, digital video technology, computers and mobile phone games decreases the degree of children’s active participation in traditional games. Based on data collected through interviews and focus group discussions with parents and children, the study revealed that this is not the case; instead, the findings identify seven other factors, including parents’ fear of child abduction and sexual abuse, parental emphasis on academic achievement, the pressure of family chores, and children’s destructive behaviour outdoors as responsible for the prohibitions that defeat children’s traditional play. The data includes children’s own self-reflections about why they do not play outside. These results indicate the advisability of educating parents about the benefits of traditional games in children’s lives. The study also recommends that parents and the wider community take steps together to create safer outdoor play environments for children.