SAN TRANCE SAN TRANCE DANCE DANCE

& & IT’S PEOPLEIT’S PEOPLEWATCH 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 DANCEPURPOSE 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 / PROPSCLOTHING / 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 MOVEMENTSDANCE 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 / ACCOMPANIMENTMUSIC / ACCOMPANIMENT The women are mainly responsible for the The women are mainly responsible for the

clapping and singingclapping and singing The men accompany the women, singing in The men accompany the women, singing in

harmonyharmony The men’s pounding stamps in the dance The men’s pounding stamps in the dance

add to the rhythmadd to the rhythm Rattles around the men's ankles add to the Rattles around the men's ankles add to the

soundsound The Sharman’s shrieks accompany the The Sharman’s shrieks accompany the

dancedance

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSIONTHE 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