Latest revision- December 18, 2020
This Zumulayah post presents videos that suggest some similarities between the Venda (South African) female initiation dance known as the python dance and the very close contact processional formation used by some historically Black Greek lettered sororities' probate groups when those groups enter the performance area for their probate* show.
The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
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Comments for those blogs can be sent to my email address azizip17 dot com at yahoo dot com for possible inclusion in a specific post on those blogs.
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This Zumulayah post is meant to point out the similarities in these historically Black Greek letter sorority vertical line formations, and not to assert that the Venda dance was the source for this type of probate processional formation. That said, I believe that it's quite possible that the South African Venda female initiation dance might have been the inspiration or one of the inspirations for this historically Black sorority vertical line formation.
Traditionally, Black Greek lettered fraternities also appear to have a formation in which they stand close to the person in front of them and sing or chant. However, in the videos I've seen the men lock arms but don't rest their head on the back of the person standing in front of them, nor do they hold hands with the person in front of & behind them. Click http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdgwjN11AyY "Zoom Zoom" (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity) for an example of this type of close fraternity vertical line formation.
My guess is that the very close line formation symbolizes the group's unity. The ability to act as one body that is demonstrated by the group's synchronized movements may symbolizes the cohesiveness that was forged as a result of the individuals' experiences of becoming members of their group. Also, the group's moving forward with their eyes closed and/or with their heads resting on their sister's back and being led by one member may represents the group's trust in each other, and especially their trust in that lead sister. Furthermore, the group moving forward in spite of their tiredness highlights the importance of the goal and the value of perseverance to reach that goal..
It's possible that the Venda python dance also has those meanings in addition to the cultural meanings which were given in the above quote about that dance.
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This same post was originally published at
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/01/similarities-between-venda-python-dance_7.html .
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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venda_people [hereafter given as Wikipedia- Venda]
"The Venda (VhaVenda or Vhangona) are a Southern African Bantu people living mostly near the South African-Zimbabwean border.
Venda people share ancestry with Lobedu people and Kalanga
people. They are also related to Sotho-Tswana and Shona groups."...
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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venda
"Venda (/ˈvɛndə/) was a Bantustan in northern South Africa,
which is fairly close to the South African border with Zimbabwe to the north,
while to the south and east, it shared a long border with another black
homeland, Gazankulu. It is now part of the Limpopo province [of the nation of South Africa]. Venda was founded
as a homeland by the South African government for the Venda people, speakers of
the Venda language.[4] The United Nations and international community refused
to recognise Venda (or any other Bantustan) as an independent state."..
-snip-
I added the words in brackets to further explain the end of that sentence.]
I'm not sure if there is a standard name or any name for the commonly performed historically Black (African American) sorority probate (new members) entrance march which is the focus of this post. However, that very close contact vertical line formation is very similar to that which is described for the Venda people's "python dance" at Domba initiation rituals.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE VENDA PYTHON DANCE
Here is information about the symbolism of the Venda python dance (also known as the Venda "Domba" dance:
From 2008 pdf by Kent D. Fowler, University of Manitoba entitled "Social Memory and the Antiquity of Python and Crocodile Symbolism in Southern Africa"
..."Pythons, on the other hand, are directly associated
with leadership in Shona, Venda and Zulu cultures. In Venda court art, python
and crocodile imagery are paired, with crocodile images in the centre
surrounded by those of pythons (Huffman 1996:89). In the Venda “python dance”,
the same structure is found. Initiates dance in an undulating line emulating a
python encircling a pool represented by the central court. In this context, the
python is the “snake of the water”, a metaphor for female fertility. Pythons
are also paired with the mountain imagery of chiefs and referred to as “snake
of the mountain”. On some hilltops, it is believed that pythons guard the
entrance of caves that contain pools that are portals to the world of ancestors
(Huffman 1996:91). When linked to chieftainship and hilltops, pythons are the
“snake of the mountain” and invoke linked metaphors for rainmaking, young and
junior men, and male virility."...
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/pdf-excerpt-about-symbolism-of-pythons.html
for the pancocojams post entitled "PDF Excerpt About The Symbolism Of
Pythons And Crocodiles In Venda (South African) Culture". Additional
statements about this subject are included in the comment section of that post.
Also, click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/12/traditional-performance-and.html for the 2020 pancocojams post entitled "Contemporary Changes In Where and How The Venda (South African) Domba Dance (also known as the Python Dance) Is Performed".
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Additional comments about the python dance that are
performed at the Domba are found below the video that is given as "Video
#1" in this post.
Two of the YouTube videos of that dance (given here as Videos #1 & #2) show the female in the front of the line with one or both of her hands held out to suggest a snake's head. The faces of the females in the line are expressionless and their eyes are closed. Each woman behind the woman at the head of the line lays her head on the back of the woman in front of them. The impression I got from the dance that the woman were very tired and were slowly walking forward in their sleep. Occasionally, the right arms and then the left arms of the entire group rhythmically undulate in a synchronized manner as the group slowly proceeds across the floor.
Judging from YouTube videos of historically Black Greek lettered sororities that I have watched, the line formation described above but without the undulating arm movement, appears to be commonly used as the entrance procession for most Black Greek lettered sorority probates.I've not reviewed many videos of the five historically Black Greek lettered fraternities to determine if each of those organizations have a similar close contact formation for their probates or their other members. However, I came across this video of a similar formation by members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdgwjN11AyY". In this video the men stand very close together with locked arms and without moving away from their spot. The first man in line doesn't fold his hands in a triangle position, and the men after the first person in line don't lay their head on the person in front of them.
VIDEOS OF THE VENDA PYTHON DANCE (AT VENDA DOMBAS)
Video #1: Domba
bigbluemeanie, Uploaded on Nov 9, 2006
The famous Domba initiation dance of the Venda tribe of Southern Africa
-snip-
Here are two comments from this video's viewer comment thread:
filato22, 2010
you can say that again its more zululized than venda. proudly venda
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bigbluemeanie, 2012
..."Domba was the third and final phase in Venda girls' initiation, which should have been attended after a girl had been to vhusha and tshikanda. It took place every three to five years at the head-quarters of chiefs and certain senior headman, and lasted for about one year. Its importance to the Venda was marked by the use of the bass drum (ngoma), which was also used in tshikona, the Venda national dance. There were a number of special rites and shows associated with domba…
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Video #2: UMOJA - The Spirit of Togetherness Part 2
Mrbobodigital, Uploaded on Mar 23, 2011
-snip-
The Domba dance is from 2:17 to 3:50 of this video.
The description of this dance given as a subtitle in this video is "initiation dance for young women when they reach womenhood".
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Video #3: Domba La Africa
dombalaafrica, Uploaded on Feb 26, 2010
Traditional Dance Group based in Soweto. Founded by the Late Co-founder of the Soweto Gospel Choir and Musical Director David Mulovhedzi
-snip-
The Domba dance is performed in this video from .53 to 1:01 and the video ends with a still photograph of that dance.
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Video #4: venda dance
nkosiafrika, Uploaded on May 13, 2010
great va venda mothers proudly dance @a wddng in soweto south africa
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RELATED VIDEOS
Here are links to two other traditional Venda dances:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e-hSuDsDc0
Venda women perform Malende traditional dance
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUVkQFhdp3Y
Tshikona traditional Venda dance
Note: These links aren't meant to imply that these are the only other traditional Venda dances.
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