KURUBI
KURUBI DANCE: HISTORICAL OVERVIEW
The
long-standing historical account of the migration of the Anufo peoples from
Anou makes specific mention of the Mande Horsemen, the Muslim scholar
amulet-makers and the Akan musket-toting foot soldiers. On this account, there are three distinct
groups such as the nobles, commoners and
the muslims among the Anufo traditional society. The Kambaya and Kajura peoples
are said to have been part of the Muslim
scholar amulet-makers.
Since
the mid-17th century, the period when the Anufo peoples migrated
from Anou in Central Ivory Coast to Ghana, Togo and Benin, one expressible
religio-cultural oral performance that
has remained with them is KURUBI. Kurubi can be described as a dance that is melodramatic,
humorous and appellative with panegyric elements that is performed on the 27th
Day of the Islamic lunar month of Ramadan. Originally, it was a form of entertainment to the Muslima
after long periods of fasting. The Kambaya and Kajura Muslims were instrumental
in the celebration of Kurubi among the pre-colonial Anufos.
Kurubi
is chiefly the dance of maidens during Kurubi festival in the tenth month
called Mingari sara of the Anufo lunar calendar. It is a dance for
maidens chiefly because the Anufo traditional society is patriarchal in nature.
Although Kurubi involves two parties, a
young male pre-adult and young female pre-adult, the young maiden is at the
heart of the dance, and as well defines the moral philosophy of the festival. Though
a festival, the penultimate traditional performance which marks the celebration
is the Kurubi dance.
The
chief celebrant of this festive dance is the pre-adult maiden as earlier mentioned
who throughout the period of the festival learns the good morals and virtues of
living a chaste life, and womanhood. Where womanhood in this context includes
learning how to be a suitable wife and helpmate, who is guided to familiarise with
gendered female roles such as cooking, sweeping, fetching water, serving your
husband inter alia. During this festival, cultural socialisation comes to full play.
INSTURMENT(S)
USED IN KURUBI DANCE
There
is no any known musical instruments employed in the composition of Kurubi,
however, there are peripheral items such
as the lantern, shea butter, the Kurubi bowl
for money gifts and the head gear which is folded kente article and wrapped
around the head, then a nicely folded towel article placed on the shoulder.
PERFORMANCE PRACTICE
Before
the dance is performed, the chief celebrant i.e. the Maiden, rehearses almost
all of the appellations and/or titles of the suitor’s elderly family members
who are males. The 15th day of Ramadan marks the beginning of the
rehearsals. Numerous songs and the titles of the clan men, the elderly
mostly, are learnt. Usually, rehearsal
takes place in the evenings during moonlight usually outside a nearby family house
of the suitor. A series of choric songs known as Kurubi juem where the
titles or appellations of the known and living elderly males are carefully
woven into them. The nights of learning all these are called Kurubi jue sɔnsɔn
kɔnguɛm.
The
main dance takes a circular shape. During the dance, the maidens who are the
chief celebrants draw in in turns to sing and appellate the male elders in the
household of the suitor.
The
pseudo groom, the suitor, and his best man of the day spray and splash money as
the maidens sing and dance. The male elders whose appellations are sung also splash
money.
The
money gifts are usually placed in the Kurubi bowl called kondo ayaba which
is placed at the centre of the circle.
THE
OCCASIONS OF PERFORMANCE
Kurubi
is an annual festival which is performed once. The Kurubi dance is therefore specifically
performed on this occasion of festival. Thus, it marks the end of the period Ramadan.
THE
PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES INVOLVED IN THE DANCE
Kurubi
involves a back and forth movement of the body where the arms are raised to hang
up in the upper region of the body. The feet take steps forward in a matching formation.
Basically, the feet are shuffled in the forward
movement. But the whole body movement is lighter rather than with much energy.
THE
LOCAL AND CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF KURUBI
Kurubi is originally both a religious and socio-cultural celebration. Therefore it has a religio-sociocultural importance to the Anufo peoples in that, it is thematically centered on socialisation, chastity, training on the traditional role of the woman in marriage, manly responsibilities on the part of pseudo groom, and entertainment etc.
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