Ritual dance of the royal drum
Burundian drum crew performing in Kigali, Rwanda
MediumDrumming, dancing and traditional songs
Originating cultureCulture of Burundi
Ritual dance of the royal drum
CountryBurundi
DomainsPerforming arts (music)
Reference00989
RegionAfrica
Inscription history
Inscription2014 (9th session)
ListRepresentative
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The Ritual dance of the royal drum is a drumming tradition from Burundi that combines synchronised drumming with dancing and traditional songs.[1][2] In 2014, it was added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. [3]

The dance usually has about a dozen drums, in a semicircle around a central drum. A few of the drummers also dance to the rhythm.[1] In ancient Burundi, drums were sacred objects, reserved only for people performing rituals. The major events of the country were marked by their beating, like coronations and royal funerals.[4]

In 2017, a Presidential decree said that only male performers were to be allowed to play the drums in the future.[5]

Gallery

  • Drummers around a central drum
    Drummers around a central drum
  • Drumers with drums on their head
    Drumers with drums on their head
  • Gitega drums
    Gitega drums
  • Drummers performing in Kampala
    Drummers performing in Kampala

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Ritual dance of the royal drum - intangible heritage - Culture Sector". UNESCO. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  2. ^ "Final of the UNESCO listed ritual dance of the royal drum in Burundi". Africa Global Village. 21 December 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022. Listed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO since 2014 , the ritual dance of the royal drum is "a practice that shows happiness" and a tradition that Burundians hope to preserve and share with the world.
  3. ^ "Decision of the Intergovernmental Committee: 9.COM 10.10 - intangible heritage - Culture Sector". UNESCO. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Sacred rituals of drummers and dancers of Burundi". 14 November 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2022. The major events of the country were heralded by their beating — coronations, sovereigns' funerals
  5. ^ Audace Mbonyingingo; Gérard Birantamije; Constantin Ntiranyibagira (22 June 2020). "The Burundian drum is at a crossroads between heritage and commodification". Retrieved 8 January 2022. This law contains two main restrictions. The first one concerns the restriction of the performance, officially to counter its marketisation. ... The second restricts drumming to men, discriminating against women who can now only perform folk dances to accompany the drums.

External links

UNESCO Representative List of the IntangibleCultural Heritage of Humanity/Africa
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