SAN TRANCE DANCE & IT’S PEOPLE WATCH CLOSELY … YOU HAVE TO PREPARE A PRESENTATION

THIS IS WHERE THE SAN PEOPLE ORIGIONALLY LIVED THE KALAHARI DESERT The SAN are considered to be one of the oldest cultures in the world dating back a hundred thousand years

There are a small number of SAN descendants still living in the Kalahari desert

The ‘San’ Bushmen of the Kalahari Desert talk about two ‘hungers’ There is the Great Hunger and there is the Little Hunger

The Little Hunger wants food for the belly but the Great Hunger… the greatest hunger of all is the hunger for meaning….

There’s ultimately only one thing that makes human beings deeply and profoundly bitter and that is a life without meaning

How well are you satisfying both of your hungers? What will you do today to make sure that you are doing something to satisfy YOUR Great hunger ?

Could YOU survive in this sort of environment Living off the land ? (No big Mac's / KFC !!!)

THIS IS THE LIFE OF THE SAN BUSHMEN WE ARE LEARNING ABOUT… TRYING TO UNDERSTAND!

PURPOSE FOR THE DANCE It is part of their religious searching for knowledge – the ‘Great Hunger’ – the meaning of life It heals the sick – makes the bad spirits happy so they will not harm the living It unifies the community It involves the supernatural into their earthly lives It is an aspect of their hunting experience

CLOTHING / PROPS Traditionally the Bushmen did not wear much clothing Material is made from animal skin Ornaments are made from beads, ostrich shell, animal bone, teeth & claws The men wear a skin bag holding their possessions Men use a hunting bow or stick / animal switch Rattles are worn around the ankles

DANCE MOVEMENTS The men pound the earth rhythmically in a circular pattern around the women When the music reaches its climax, the dancers start hopping on both feet They bend the torso forwards at right angles with the legs The arms are extended to the front or kept on the hips The shaman is involved in movements healing the people

MUSIC / ACCOMPANIMENT The women are mainly responsible for the clapping and singing The women are mainly responsible for the clapping and singing The men accompany the women, singing in harmony The men accompany the women, singing in harmony The men’s pounding stamps in the dance add to the rhythm The men’s pounding stamps in the dance add to the rhythm Rattles around the men's ankles add to the sound Rattles around the men's ankles add to the sound The Sharman’s shrieks accompany the dance The Sharman’s shrieks accompany the dance

CONCLUSION THE SAN ARE A DEEPLY SPIRITUAL PEOPLE IN TOUCH WITH NATURE THIS DANCE REPRESENTS ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THEY CONNECT WITH THEIR ANCESTORS AND THE EARTH