SASF to use traditional dances for sending out messages

By Daniel Manyowa

At the end of a three day Southern Africa social Forum (SASF) meeting held at Civo stadium Lilongwe Malawi from 13 to 15 the of October 15, 2006 the gathering agreed to use traditional dances as a tool to disseminate various information to the masses.
The delegates said beside the dances are entertaining which attracts a lot of people the same has been proved to be effective means of relaying information as most of the dances are conducted in local languages which the majority of the people are reached.
“Traditional dances are entertaining hence attracts a lot of people who inturn gets the messages as they are paying their attentions to the dancing,” narrated Rebecca Bwayala of the youth development and advancement organization (YEDEO)
The Malawian girl said her organization would eventually adopt the kind of dances from South Africa which are so unique and attracts a lot of the youth.
Communication is done both verbally and non verbal way but dancing combines both ways as singing goes along with shaking of ones bodies.
“ the use of traditional dances is very effective in my opinion in the sense that local languages are used and a lot more people can comphrehed the messges be it on aids or Poverty,” Swaziland based Muze Sithebe observed.
Sithebe a member of the Swazi labour movement said the traditional dances are vtal ways of communication as they relay past and current happenings.
Zambians also feel traditional dances are vital tools of passing on messages as the singing and dancing can also take awy worries especially to those affected and living with HIV/AIDS
“People are soothed and worries are taken from their minds as the watch and listen to tradtion dances , those suffering from Aids can greately benefit from traditional dances,” Harry Kaela of the Alliance for Zambia informal economy Association (AZIEA)
Kaele said the civil society should not ignore traditional dances as majority of Africans enjoy dancing and watching of music.
During the second day of the Lilongwe forum delegates from the members countries displayed various traditional dances that enhanced the spirit solidarity and Africanism.