Mabutho Justice, May 26, 2021 -snip-
"Do Not Touch The General" is the name of this dub (record). Some commenters
asked who the artist is who recorded that song, but that information wasn't noted (yet).
****
Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams series about Rastafarians in South Africa.
This post presents some YouTube videos from 2018 of South African Rastas skanking (dancing) in Ladysmith, Kwa Zulu, South Africa. Ths post also presents selected comments from most of those videos' discussion threads. Some of those comments refer to the spiritual purposes of Rastas' skanking in contrast to skanking that is done for entertainment purposes only.
My description of this dancing is also included in this post. Additions and corrections are welcome.
for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post presents excerpts of two online articles about Rastafarians in South Africa. Prior to Oct. 10, 2022 this series was presented in one post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to rhe publisher of this video on YouTube.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/04/information-videos-comments-about.html for additional information and comments about "skanking". That post also showcases other videos of skanking.
****
MY DESCRIPTION OF RASTAS SKANKING IN SOUTH AFRICA
The videos that I've come across of Lion Dub Steppas skanking show people dancing in two horizontal lines facing each other with a space in between. The individual lines may consist of males and females interspersed in each line, or males facing males. (I haven't come across any videos of females dancing without males.) Most of the dancers are adults, but some videos feature children who either dance in the lines or dance nearby.
These South African Rasta skankers move side to side while doing foot movements. (Some of which are similar to African American Hip Hop duo Kid & Play's now classic foot linking routine). The two lines eventually move forward approaching the horizontal line that they face. During some of the dances, the dancers may do certain motions with the person facing them (such as motions done in some partner hand claps). Still facing forward, each line eventually returns to their starting position. At some point, the two horizontal lines form two vertical lines that dance together to the beat in that formation.
One commenter in a discussion thread for one of these videos wrote that these dances "Reminds me of the country dancing I had to do at school". chris shellings, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ly6dKK3QUEQ Rastaman Skanking inna Ladysmith
I can see that. In addition, these dances remind me of some of the movements that were/are done in certain Caribbean Quadrille dances.
It appears that relatively the same choreographed movements are performed in each of these Ladysmith, Kwa Zulu skanking videos.
I wonder if these dance routines were modeled after the Rastas in Kebra, Ethiopia. Click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6DfnZKLXgg for a video of a group of men and women interspersed skanking in two horizontal lines.
ADDITIONAL SHOWCASE VIDEOS
SHOWCASE VIDEO #2
Mabutho Justice, Sept. 19, 2019 Lion Dub Steppas rehearsing Gwaan Rastaman Step
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #3 - Rasta Skanking
Bobo Skanking, Feb 5, 2017
This is how we do it.
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread, with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. Thi Nyameka Mlonyeni, 2018
"can i please have the name of the song thats playing
in the background"
**
Reply
2. Elle 22, 2019
"Nyameka Mlonyeni The 2nd song is Protector - Mr Vegas.
Not sure what the 1st one is"
**
3. Baatile Lefosa, 2019
"Give thanks to the kings that are skanking FIREEEEEE
bUrn babylon."
**
4. Dwight, 2019
"@787ISLANDBOY808 did you ever find out the name of the
song. Because I've been looking for it."
**
Reply
5. 787ISLANDBOY808, 2019
"Dwight no my braddah but it’s one mean jam
yessahh"
**
6. Robert Hicks, 2019
"Love this, real comunity . Jah bless s is how we do
it"
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #4 - Rasta Skanking 02
Mabutho Justice, May 20, 2018 @ Slu
Dem in KZN Ladysmith ( Clekta Mabootour)
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread,
with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. Pink rose, 2021
"I love this! One love my sisters and brothers❤💃
2.
"Who sing this song please!
Reply
3. Eye Brigade, 2022
"
**
4. Teray Gray Abe, 2022
"Cool great vibes injoying the sun !
Jahrastafari one Love ❤️💛💚"
**
5. Da Royal General, 2022
"irie vibes."
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #5: Rasta Skanking 06
mabutho justice, Dec 1, 2018 Slu Dem ( Gallos dub Session)
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #6: Rastas Skanking 04
Mabutho Justice, Sep 25, 2019
Lion dub Steppas at Ladysmith Kzn South Africa
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread,
with numbers added for referencing purposes only:
1. melvin moten, 2020
"Does anyone know what this dub is?
2. Ryan, 2020
"Dubbing outta Babylon (feat. Buriman) · Sista Habesha
· Buriman"
**
Reply
3. melvin moten, 2020
"@Ryan Thank
you!"
**
4. Arandora Press, 2021
"Ital steppers. The vibes are there.🔥"
**
5. donna anderson, 2021
"OMG! I love this! I’m gonna learn this. A friend
just shared Skanking Sweet with me, and while I understood from the video, that
it had to do with releasing oneself from the cares of the world, through
dancing, I wanted to understand more! Thank you, so much for sharing this
video. I find it meditative, and it makes me feel connected to my Jamaican
brothers, and sisters!😘"
**
Reply
6. Sankofa Ashanti, 2022
"Love your message, actually this video is film in
Africa either Kenya or Zimbabwe dub muzik is very hugh..we still go skankin in
dub session today, check out jah shaka dub sessions in London if u can either
your here or on you.tube😎"
**
7. TARIK MOUNIH, 2022
"Skank , skank ;
Dub & Groove Rastaman. 👑 u r the mighty man 💪💯"
**
8. Jeremiah Mwitumwa, 2022
"This is the best Rasta dance move"
**
9. Shantaye Unique, 2022
"Irie 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"
**
10. Superblack, 2022
"This is good but in the old days it used to be danced
with more attitude. More open arm movement and particularly back leg flick behind the calf (fake leg trips etc).....
those we were the days!!!"
**
11. S S, 2022
"Raise the vibration rasta to THE MOST HIGH 👑"
**
12. Scottishly Scubaru14!, 2022
"Yes I hail Rastafari, keep the roots alive! 🔥
**
13. Billy Rovedas, 2022
"Truth and Justice,ah what we as Babylonians ah skank
for...Respect.... Livity... Positive Vibration"
-snip-
Here's information about the Rastafarian term
"livity"
From
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Livity_(spiritual_concept)
"Livity is the Rastafari concept of righteous,
everliving living. Its essence is the realization that an energy, or life
force, conferred by Jah (God), exists within, and flows through, all people and
all living things. This is seen as the presence of Jah living within humans and
is often expressed in Rastafari vocabulary as "I and I", where the
first "I" refers to the Almighty, the second "I" to
oneself. A primary goal in Rastafari meditation is maintaining awareness of I
and I.
A primary goal in a Rasta's life is to expand their Livity.[1] In Rastafari philosophy, Livity can be enhanced by intense prayer and meditation (often enhanced by sacramental cannabis use), adherence to an Ital diet, and perhaps most importantly, loving behavior toward others. Livity has a strong focus on living a natural lifestyle that includes the consumption of natural foods and growth of natural hair.[2] This expression of love for others is done in recognition of a central love energy within all people, a concept often referred to as "One Love".[3]"
****
SHOWCASE VIDEO #7: Rasta skanking 12
mabutho justice,
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
Julian Asher, 2021
"the yaaard was meant for skanking for the Most High. what
blessed people. Haile I Selassie know the seed of Ras Tafari is strong in
Azania. For Jah will to be done in all the earth. Truth rights equality and
justice must stand for all. Blessed be the children of Negusa Nagast forever
and ever ameyn. Holy Immanuel I Liveth and reign inna Holy Mount Zion. Shine
forth <3 selah word sound and Haile"
****
This concludes Part II of these pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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