7th Day

The day I was waiting for was today as I anticipated it, it was a very inspiring day in many,many ways. I feel like I have been fed with lots of life and I've been fed with lots of spirit in dancing. It has reminded why I do what I do. The way of their living, is what I visioned for my new work and this experience has made it solid supporting my idea. Today I've even managed to shake hands with Gule Wamkulu, which for you to know is very rare according to my up bringing. I've managed to speak to the dancers with help with the lovely Hussein, helping translating. I have learnt a lot about what goes through the initiation of being a boy to a man and a girl to a woman. Gule Wamkulu, for me with my understaning of today, is a culture you don't mess with. As my idea wanting to get initiated, I really have to think 3 or 4 times!! as I realised there is more to it than just getting beaten up. They were wiling to explain to me the dark side of the culture and that threw me a bit. For me with this research, it's either I take it far or I just research what I want to know. I haven't seen these people for years because now I live in England, today I still felt the same as when I was young, the fear. Right now the fear is controlling my decisions and I'm not sure if I want to know the Juju side of the culture. I want to think of my health first as they explained to me during the initiaion they would whip me, make me eat rotten food, eat raw chicken and drink the blood and the most worrying bit of it they would give me some Juju (potion). I am really energised, my brain is going, I'm feeling creative with some of the imageries of things I've seen with just people standing and relaxing. This culture has created a strong base music wise, dance wise and spiritually. Now I'm clear how I am going to bring other cultures that are similar to create a unique work, Sensual Africa. Tomorrow onwards, I will be learning the Tumbuka tribal dances which is a dance that is unpredictable and different to any other african dances (Muganda).