Dancing4kids, Oct. 19, 2010
Traditional Dance Troup Performance - Dipela tsa ga Kobokwe Cultural Troupe...
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Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post showcases two YouTube videos of the Basarwa's Tsutsube dance.
Information and comments about that traditional dance are also included in this post along with information and comments about the collective references for the Basarwa. .
The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, aesthetic, and linguistic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Botswana traditional dance by Basarwa/san tribe (tsutsube dance)
Traditional Rhythm, Jan 6, 2021
This a celebration dance by Basarwa/ san people from Botswana, Daka'r village
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INFORMATION ABOUT BOTSWANA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botswana#Demographics
"Botswana...., officially the Republic of Botswana
(Setswana: Lefatshe la Botswana, [lɪˈfatsʰɪ la bʊˈtswana]), is a landlocked
country in Southern Africa. Botswana is topographically flat, with up to 70
percent of its territory being the Kalahari Desert. It is bordered by South
Africa to the south and southeast, Namibia to the west and north, and Zimbabwe
to the north-east. It is connected to Zambia across the short Zambezi River
border by the Kazungula Bridge.[16]
A country of slightly over 2.3 million people,[17] Botswana
is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world. About 11.6
percent of the population lives in the capital and largest city, Gaborone.
Formerly one of the world's poorest countries—with a GDP per capita of about
US$70 per year in the late 1960s—it has since transformed itself into an
upper-middle-income country, with one of the world's fastest-growing
economies.[18]...
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INFORMATION ABOUT BOTSWANA (ETHNIC GROUPS)
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_groups_in_Botswana
"The population of Botswana is divided into the main
ethnic groups of Tswana people (79%), Kalanga people (11%), and Basarwa (or
Bushmen) (3%).[1] The remaining 7% consist of other peoples,[2] including some
speaking the Kgalagadi language, and 1% of non-African people.[1]
About 79% of the total population speak Setswana as second and first language. The ethnic Tswana is split up among eight tribes: Bamangwato, Bakwena, Bangwaketse, Bakgatla, Barolong, Bamalete, and Batlokwa, Batawana."
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE BASARWA
Excerpt #1
From https://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_bushmen.html
"The San are the oldest inhabitants of Southern Africa,
where they have lived for at least 20 000 years. The term San is commonly used
to refer to a diverse group of hunter-gatherers living in Southern Africa who
share historical and linguistic connections. The San were also referred to as
Bushmen, but this term has since been abandoned as it is considered derogatory.
There are many different San groups - they have no collective name for
themselves, and the terms 'Bushman', 'San', 'Basarwa' (in Botswana) are used.
The term, 'bushman', came from the Dutch term, 'bossiesman', which meant
'bandit' or 'outlaw'."...
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Excerpt #2
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_people
..."Names
The endonyms used by San themselves refer to their individual nations, including the ǃKung (ǃXuun) (subdivisions ǂKxʼaoǁʼae (Auen), Juǀʼhoan, etc.) the Tuu (subdivisions ǀXam, Nusan (Nǀu), ǂKhomani, etc.) and Tshu–Khwe groups such as the Khwe (Khoi, Kxoe), Haiǁom, Naro, Tsoa, Gǁana (Gana) and Gǀui (ǀGwi).[5][6][7][8][9] Representatives of San peoples in 2003 stated their preference for the use of such individual group names where possible over the use of the collective term San.[10]
The designations "Bushmen" and "San" are both exonyms in origin, but San had been widely adopted as an endonym by the late 1990s. "San" originates as a pejorative Khoekhoe appellation for foragers without cattle or other wealth, from a root saa "picking up from the ground" + plural -n in the Haiǁom dialect.[11][12] The term Bushmen, from 17th-century Dutch Bosjesmans, is still widely used by others and to self-identify, but in some instances the term has also been described as pejorative.[7][13][14][15]
The term Basarwa (singular Mosarwa) is used for the San
collectively in Botswana.[26][27][28] The term is a Bantu (Tswana) word meaning
"those who do not rear cattle".[29] Use of the mo/ba- noun class
indicates "people who are accepted", as opposed to the use of
Masarwa, an older variant which is now considered offensive.[21][30]"...
-snip-
Here's information about the terms endonym and exonym from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endonym_and_exonym
"An endonym (from Greek: éndon, 'inner' + ónoma,
'name'; also known as autonym) is a common, native name for a geographical
place, group of people, individual person, language or dialect, meaning that it
is used inside that particular place, group, or linguistic community in
question; it is their self-designated name for themselves, their homeland, or
their language.
An exonym (from Greek: éxō, 'outer' + ónoma, 'name'; also known as xenonym) is a common, non- native name for a geographical place, group of people, individual person, language or dialect, meaning that it is used only outside that particular place, group, or linguistic community.[1] Exonyms exist not only for historico-geographical reasons, but also in consideration of difficulties when pronouncing foreign words.[1]
For instance, Deutschland is the endonym for the country that is also known by the exonym Germany in English and Allemagne in French."
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"Khoisan" is another referent for this population
that is also now considered to be derogatory. Here's one quote regarding that referent from https://dsae.co.za/entry/khoisan/e03782#:~:text=It%20is%20derived%20from%20the,2.
"(1994) in Sunday Times 18 Sept. 22PAC general
secretary Benny Alexander’s new name !Khoisan X, isn't as politically correct
as he thinks it is...His new name translates roughly into poor rascal. It is
derived from the Nama word Khoi, meaning simply person, and their derogatory
term, San, for someone who owns no cattle, or is a rascal. The name is mired in
racist and colonial overtones, being a portmanteau word coined by a German
anthropologist to lump together people once known as Hottentots or
Bushmen."...
-snip-
Here are two comment exchanges about the use of
the referent "Basarwa" instead of the referent "Khoisan" [from different portions of the discussion thread for the video "Botswana
Cultural Night - Tokyo", published by Dancing4kids, Oct 19,
2010 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckK_H7BkMZw
1. GABRIEL MASILOANE, 2021
"Their singing sound is similar to koikoiens and they're
keeping their culture in dancing: What a respected nation!"
**
Reply
2. FOLLOW TRENDS, 2021
" @GABRIEL MASILOANE
I am Tswana Nd this kind of step, is called "tsutsube" it was
originally adopted from Khoisan People"
**
Reply
3. FACTS, 2021
" @FOLLOW TRENDS
There is no such thing called khoisan we Basarwa not khoisan.Dont use
colonised terms."
**
[These next two comments were in another
portion of that video's discussion thread.]
1. FOLLOW TRENDS, 2021
"Am Tswanas, and this step is called tsutsube it was
originally adopted from Khoisan people
**
Reply
2. FACTS, 2021
"@FOLLOW TRENDS
khoisan is deregeoratary term we are Basarwa not khoisan."
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE TSUTSUBE DANCE
From
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/18125980.2016.1182377 Tsutsube
Music as practised by the Basarwa (San) of Botswana, by Otukile Sindiso Phibion &Kelone
Khudu-Petersen, Pages 58-67 | Published online: 30 Sep 2016
"ABSTRACT
This study examines the use of Tsutsube music among the Basarwa (San) of Botswana during their societal rituals. The research intends to look at the appearance of the antelope called (Phofu) eland as the Basarwa’s most spiritual animal and the music performed. Basarwa of Botswana Tsutsube music is performed in four ritualistic stages, namely, boys’ first kill, girls’puberty, marriage and trance (healing) dance. Different purposes served by these rituals and their musical genres are discussed. Participants included Basarwa, who originate from Central Kgalagadi Game Reserve but who now reside in Kaudwane village in Kweneng West District of Botswana. Other groups also participated during the 2010 Western Kgalagadi Annual Cultural Festival held in Kang village. Data were mainly collected by the researchers through consecutively conducted oral interviews as well as practical observations of performing groups. Documented information repositories such as the internet, journal articles and books were also used in conducting this research.”…
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COMMENTS ABOUT SOME SOCIO-CULTURAL IMPLICATIONS OF TSUTSUBE
DANCE PERFORMANCES
From the discussion thread for "Botswana Tribe (Bushmen) Dancers In the Olympic
Athletes Welcome Centre. Tsutsube Dance" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMnrcDVsaLc&t=2s published by Andrew Medlock, Feb 11, 2013
1. chelloandra, 2015
"@not2tees the
point of my comment- although I did not go into it in enough for someone who is
not familiar with either the dance or the complex issues facing these people -
here it is now:
I agree that it is fantastic and inspirational dancing but, it is a theatrical version and represents a transformation from ritual to spectacle- which in itself has pros and cons.
However, the style is taken/based on San (Bushmen) but that does not mean that the dancers are actually San themselves- could be none of them are, could be some are, could be they are of mixed heritage or a combination of all of the above. Without name of the troupe it is impossible to even begin to research. Botswana state is actually about Tswanafication and actual San have are suffering from marginalisation, discrimination and human rights abuses in Botswana. They have been removed from their natural habitat and resettled into camps where they are dependent on government hand outs, ill with TB and have succumbed to alcoholism instead of making a living the by traditional means.
So it is somewhat hypocritical to sh&t* on the people but then use dance to culturally represent Botswana.
Why did they not do Setapa or Phatisi style**- those are tswana dances??
It is a huge issue that they (San) have no rights to land
and are considered a lowly bottom class people- so whilst you admire their
dancing you may want to reconsider the
'anti-freedom garbage' comment because with that you are basically saying it is
ok for their culture to be exploited without giving any respect or due credit to the people it comes from -
especially as 'tsutsube' as a functioning ritual is at the heart of their
'religion' or cosmology and known as the 'healing' or 'trance' dance. This is
at the heart of my year long research into San people and their dances and your
comment just reinforced the point I am arguing- people think dancing is just
that and has nothing to do with either politics or exploitation or
misrepresentation - especially in the west- but it so has! There they are happy
dancing people so all must be well and aaahh good for them. Even if they smile
when they dance it does not mean that they actually are - they are campaigning
for rights and all the things we take for granted."
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.
**Tsutsube is a traditional Barawa dance and Setapa and Phatisi are traditional Tswana dances.
**
Reply
2. Tho_bina, 2017
"Chelloandra, I hope you come from Botswana or at least
from some country in Southern Africa because otherwise you are just one of
those people who come into others countries and tell the natives that they are
unhappy. You are misleading people. Of course Basarwa were forcibly relocated
but they won the court case and were told that those who wanted to go back can
do so. Unfortunately it's true that it is difficult for those who went back
because the government is trying also to protect animals and also not to
discrimainate basarwa by regulating hunting. Myself as an individual, I am also
sad because of their situation as I am sad about colonisation in general (not
disputing the few positives it brought). And Botswana government is trying by
all means to integrate the San so that other tribes and the radicalising
outsiders will not treat them as inferiors, people who come into other people's
countries and make documentaries on the San as if they are animals are the
worst because they want to keep the San in the current situations so that their
countries can continue to have TV programs like "Tribal Wives an
Rendez-vous en Terre Inconnu", dispicable. Well let me stop rambling and
just say that Botswana is a country made up of different tribes, Bakgatla,
Basarwa, Bayeyi, Balete etc, and all of us are called Batswana, a name derived
from our country so stop with your tswanification rubbish. Know that not all of
us are for their expulsion from their land, but because we also want them not
to be discriminated against, we don't oppose the laws that seek to treat us the
same i.e, the law that regulates hunting.
**
Reply
3. Tho_bina, 2017
"Long story short, the goverment is going the wrong way
about integrating Basarwa but it is still way better and has their best
interests (not going well unfortunately) as compared to the Westerners who NEED
the Basarwa to be in their most rural state ever so that they can continue
studying and documenting them."
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