People have been dancing since the first humans could walk upright. Dance is a great form of expression and different cultures have different dances. New dance styles develop all the time too and in South Africa, rubber boots led to the creation of a unique dance form with a fascinating story.
In the late nineteenth century, gold was discovered in the area around what is today Johannesburg, one of Africa's largest cities. In fact, Johannesburg started out as a camp for miners seeking their fortune on the gold reefs and boomed within only a few years. It's called the City of Gold and the area's mine are still among the world's most productive.
As mining operations grew, those in charge realized that they needed more laborers. They imported indentured laborers from China but an even cheaper source to exploit was right there in the country. Young black men came to Johannesburg from their tribal villages to make money which could support their families and pay for the hut taxes that the government implemented. Even today, most miners in South Africa are black men that come from the country and its neighbors.
Over the years, mines were dug deeper and deeper and today many of the deepest mines in the world are located on the reef known as the Witwatersrand. Working so deep underneath the Earth's surface means that conditions are harsh. It's hot and humid and miners were soon given boots that they dubbed gumboots to keep their feet dry and prevent skin conditions.
In the early days, workers weren't allowed to talk during their shifts. Using signs was often futile too, since it's dark underground. However, the workers soon found another way to communicate. They developed a system of coded messages by slapping on their gumboots and on their chests.
Tapping out the codes was soon accompanied by intricate dance-like movements. These became more rhythmic too. The bosses on the mines came to appreciate these dances and because they thought that gumboot dancing was a good way to keep the men entertained when they were living far from their homes, they even encouraged this new form of expression.
When gumboot dancing became a legitimate art form on the mines, it didn't stop the secret messages. The mine bosses never knew that in the dances, they were often being made fun of. The dancers would do parodies of particular superiors and would use their dances to talk about the terrible conditions they were working in, the long hours underground, the low wages and life in the miners' hostels where they were being housed.
While gumboot dancing still exists on the mines, today it's a legitimate art form more often seen on stage. It's popular with tourists visiting South Africa. There are even professional troupes that tour the world to showcase the dance that started with a pair of boots.
In the late nineteenth century, gold was discovered in the area around what is today Johannesburg, one of Africa's largest cities. In fact, Johannesburg started out as a camp for miners seeking their fortune on the gold reefs and boomed within only a few years. It's called the City of Gold and the area's mine are still among the world's most productive.
As mining operations grew, those in charge realized that they needed more laborers. They imported indentured laborers from China but an even cheaper source to exploit was right there in the country. Young black men came to Johannesburg from their tribal villages to make money which could support their families and pay for the hut taxes that the government implemented. Even today, most miners in South Africa are black men that come from the country and its neighbors.
Over the years, mines were dug deeper and deeper and today many of the deepest mines in the world are located on the reef known as the Witwatersrand. Working so deep underneath the Earth's surface means that conditions are harsh. It's hot and humid and miners were soon given boots that they dubbed gumboots to keep their feet dry and prevent skin conditions.
In the early days, workers weren't allowed to talk during their shifts. Using signs was often futile too, since it's dark underground. However, the workers soon found another way to communicate. They developed a system of coded messages by slapping on their gumboots and on their chests.
Tapping out the codes was soon accompanied by intricate dance-like movements. These became more rhythmic too. The bosses on the mines came to appreciate these dances and because they thought that gumboot dancing was a good way to keep the men entertained when they were living far from their homes, they even encouraged this new form of expression.
When gumboot dancing became a legitimate art form on the mines, it didn't stop the secret messages. The mine bosses never knew that in the dances, they were often being made fun of. The dancers would do parodies of particular superiors and would use their dances to talk about the terrible conditions they were working in, the long hours underground, the low wages and life in the miners' hostels where they were being housed.
While gumboot dancing still exists on the mines, today it's a legitimate art form more often seen on stage. It's popular with tourists visiting South Africa. There are even professional troupes that tour the world to showcase the dance that started with a pair of boots.
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