Tag Archives: Folk Dance

Material Culture – Mosuo Dress with Handwoven Mosuo Traditional Patterns

Text:

This dress is a traditional dress of the Mosuo people, handwoven by the Mosuo people.
The patterns on the dress are all traditional patterns with symbolic meanings to the Mosuo people.

This dress was made by my informant’s mother. Her name is Du Zhi Ma, a 60 years old Mosuo woman living in Lijiang, Yunnan’s Mosuo village. Du Zhi Ma is a provincial-level inheritor of the Mosuo traditional hand-weaving craft. Since 2003, Du Zhi Ma has transformed her home into a workshop studio, leading local Mosuo women in hand-weaving.

Over time, according to the informant, the growing tourist economy around Lugu Lake made machine-made textiles a lucrative commodity at tourist sites. Many Mosuo textile makers struggled to compete and lost income. Du Zhi Ma continued to lead women in Lugu Lake in weaving and making embroidery through her workshops, hoping that this tradition would not completely fade away.

Context:

The informant is the son of Du Zhi Ma. He learned about the story behind this dress from his mother, who made the dress and is a Mosuo person. The informant shared with me this picture as he told me about the Mosuo traditional handweaving as a cultural preserver—he is a local Mosuo museum owner, who specializes in the Mosuo culture (culture specific to the Mosuo ethnic group). The informant thinks of Mosuo traditional weaving as a precious technique that should be preserved, and he is personally very proud of this.

Analysis:

This Mosuo traditional dress is more than just a physical dress—it embodies the Mosuo culture, their artistic expertise, and traditional patterns which capture their cultural beliefs. It represents how material culture acts as a living tradition of the Mosuo.

Du Zhi Ma’s role as a provincial-level inheritor makes this culture endure in a special way. As society become modernized, machine-made clothes have created economic pressure that threatens to hollow out the living craft tradition. Du Zhi Ma’s workshops and her role as a provincial-level inheritor make room for this material culture to be preserved and promoted over time.

Folk Ritual: Dance – Zebekiko

  1. Text: One of the most important staples to emerge out of modern Greek culture has been the evolution surrounding its dancing, specifically the introduction of its most sacred dance, the zebekiko. Greeks are a deeply soulful people that wear their hearts on their sleeves. This mentality could almost be considered the ethos of the country and it is perhaps best metabolized by what is sometimes called the dance of death. Today, the zebekiko is one of the most important dances that each Greek is responsible for mastering. It is performed at almost all life cycle celebrations including but not limited to weddings, birthdays, festivals and even funerals. Originally though, the zebekiko emerged as a niche, countercultural dance that was about rejecting authority, confronting mortality and engaging with personal sorrow. In the 20th century, it became increasingly popular in the villages across Greece. Zebekiko was the dance primarily practiced by men, often in taverns. It was a niche practice, born out of the working class. The 20th century of Greece was marked by repeated calamity events. The blue-collar men who lived through those different watershed moments became jaded, alongside the whole country. Zebekiko was almost a way to physically express the spiritual and existential battles of multiple generations.
  2. Informant’s Context: My husband, George, was a beautiful zebekiko dancer. It was something he learned through watching his father and brothers dance, the latter of which he had two. He was an extremely inspired man. The dance was always about expressing something within the man – their sorrow, their attitude, maybe their freedom. A man must perform the zebekiko in order to prove himself as a man. He dances alone, in front of the whole taverna, and shows what he’s capable of. This was common in the villages when we grew up and became popular with my generation and my parents generations (1940s-1960s). The dance of zebekiko was considered very sacred, something that shouldn’t be interrupted by other people. One time, when my husband was very young and we were still in Greece, I watched him zebekiko at one of the village tavernas. A drunk man tried to interrupt his dance and – wow. My husbands head lit on fire! He yelled at the drunkard, cussed him out and told him to be quiet. Of course, George was young back then. He never would’ve done such a thing later in his life. That’s how much people valued the dance though. It was something that we Greek people originally created when we were under the Ottoman empire as a colony. The dance was about defying their authority, proving that Greeks couldn’t be truly controlled or contained. It’s said that when rebels against the empire were originally on the battlefield and realized they had lost, they would lay down their weapons and dance the zebekiko in front of the enemies, right before the Ottomans would shoot them down. It was meant to show that even in the face of death, Greeks had no fear. Greek people are very proud, they want to show that even before they’re going to be shot dead, their enemies cannot destroy their lust for life. That’s why it’s sometimes called the dance of death. The dance continued to exist after we won our independence. It became about the personal battles and sorrows every man faces in their life, not just freedom from the Ottomans. It became about dancing despite whatever hardship one is facing, and there were many for the Greeks back then. A lot of wars in the 20th century, a lot of economic trouble in the country. That’s why my husband and I, along with so many people from our generation, immigrated away from Greece. Today, the dance is practiced by both men and women. Now its practiced everywhere, not just taverns – weddings, birthdays, panagiris (festivals). Despite these evolutions, the fundamental values and meaning behind the dance remain the same.
  3. Collector’s Interpretation: I believe the folkloric origins of zebekiko are beautiful. What clearly began with a few rebel figures during the Ottoman occupation of Greece increasingly became part of the ethos of the whole country. The legendary accounts of fearless death became the basis for a national, cultural phenomenon. If anything, the zebekiko epitomizes the potential of folkloric culture. By standing proud in the face of death, these rebel soldiers were in a way immortalized. Through word of mouth, these fighting Greeks who embraced death became forever etched into the imagination, ethos and culture of their nation. It’s a strange, almost paradoxical phenomenon that could only materialize in a folkloric society. As was clearly stated by the informant, the dance represents a fearlessness in the face of calamity. It spits in the face of nihilism and laughs at death itself. No matter how dire the situation, or how deep the sorrow runs in the individual, their spirit remains strong and fearless, almost tempting the forces of darkness to try and destroy them. It embodies the attitude of a country which has always fought relentlessly for its independence and identity, whether that be in their struggle against the Ottoman Empire, in their battle against the axis forces of world war two or in their war against the Persian empire during antiquity. Greece has always danced against the insurmountable odds and prevailed.

Fields

AGE: 85

Date_of_performance: May 5, 2025

Informant Name: Confidential (EZ)

Language: Greek/English

Nationality: Greek/Canadian

Occupation: Retired

Primary Language: Greek

Residence: Canada

Tinikling

Context: My informant is a direct family member

My informant says that Tinikling is “like a dance in the Philippines, you do with bamboo sticks”. She describes it as a traditional dance where two people are supposed to hold very long bamboo sticks on the opposite ends and there are two dancers coordinating together in the middle. It can be a very difficult dance, and it is a lot like a game. But it is still a performance.

My informant recalls that a lot of Filipinos kids (mostly girls) might learn this in school, or even outside of school because of the game aspect. And she notes that this tradition along with many Filipino traditions may stem from Spanish culture due to colonization.

It can be difficult to do it correctly, and you could easily trip if you and your partner make a mistake. But a lot of Filipinos have fun with this traditional dance.

She does remember this dance from her early years in school where it is thought so that it can be performed in a yearly school performance or presentation. She also interprets this dance as a fun part of Filipino culture. Because it is not strict to just performance but because it can be done by anyone even without it being something that has to be presented in a certain way.

Analysis:

Tinikling is certainly a folk tradition and folk dance. The dance is also performed at festivals.

Tinikling seems to be a part of Filipino culture for a very long time. And although it is a part of the history of colonization that the Philippines has endured, the tradition has seemed to be fully embraced and seen as something endearing and fun. It has been removed from the possible pain that the colonization has caused. Because the dance is flexible in its form, it can be done “formally” and traditionally through performances and yearly performances done at schools but it is also done at the homes in the Philippines or even right by the streets.

As my informant mentions, this dance is taught at many Filipino schools, it is well-known by many. The folk dance seems to be carried by pride, fun and even nostalgia. If this dance was not taught to someone in the Philippines, someone who does know could gladly teach it.

Danza Del Venado

Informant Info:

  • Nationality: Mexican 
  • Residence: Los Angeles
  • Primary language: Spanish

Text:

A.E chose to inform me of an ancient dance from la Mayos, he has known the dance for as long as he can remember in the region of Sonora. It’s the dance that represents the native indigenous Mayos de Navojoa, Sonora. He learned to dance “El Danza Del Venado,” in primary school(elementary). Indigenous Mayos came and taught him, he recalls them speaking their dialect. He competed with other schools and won medals for the dance. A.E heavily emphasized the importance of the dance costume. The costume consists of: a bandana on the head of the person, and above that a real, dried head of a deer. there was another bandana covering the mouth, and a “ropon de manta” covering the body. A belt made of leather that had multiple “pezunas de venado” which in English means the little hooves of the deer. From the big toe, to the ankles up to the calves, there are “tenabaris” that make noise. It is important to note that they dance barefoot. In the dance, they hold “Bullis” that come from a tree and have seeds inside that make noise. This dance is often performed in festivals, one of them being Sabado de Gloria and el Dia de San Juan. The dance is performed by only one person representing “El Venado” and is accompanied by four people playing drums and other instruments while singing the song “El Vendo Baila” in the Mayo dialect. 

Analysis:

After interviewing A.E, I conducted some research to find out more about the origins of this cultural dance. El danza del venado originated in Sonora, Mexico and contains pre-hispanic origins. The Yaqui people started this ritualistic dance, however; since the Mayo people were close neighbors to the Yaqui, they also adopted this dance into their culture. For context, the Mayo Indian people were located in southern Sonora, and northern Sinaloa. The Yaqui Indians were located in southern Sonora as well. This deer dance is performed as a way of honoring the deer that is being hunted for the purpose of feeding the folk group. It is a way of paying tribute to the sacrifice being made, which is the deer. This dance form is a deeply cultural and historical form of ritual and festival entertainment. While in modern times it is used predominantly as a source of entertainment, historically El Danza del Venado was used as a form of respecting nature, especially after taking something(such as hunting a deer).

Folklorico Dance

Informant Info:

  • Nationality: Mexican
  • Residence: Los Angeles
  • Primary language: English/ Spanish

Text:

E.H has been dancing folklorico since she was six years old. She is a Mexican American college student who has found an important aspect of her identity through folklorico. She has been a part of GFUSC(Grupo Folklorico at USC) since freshman year. She has found that it has been a way of embracing her Purépecha heritage and culture. Her passion for folklorico has led her to learn more about the history of folklorico, the different dance forms that pertain to folklorico, and the way dancers have to dress. E.H now teaches folklorico to elementary students, while also educating them in different regions. E.H and Grupo Folklorico at USC practice different dances for several weeks in order to prepare for the grand performance towards the end of the semester. Throughout the semester, they also hold small performances at different events and festivals to show their appreciation for their culture. E.H is a dance instructor, and she makes sure to teach steps that pertain the specific region in order to maintain as much cultural originality as possible. E.H told me that not anyone can just go ahead and teach Folklorico, one must be educated on the history of the dance form and the different styles of dance it entails.

Analysis:

I hold a personal connection with folklorico, I also dance folklorico with GFUSC. I originally joined for the purpose of embracing my Mexican heritage and learning to dance such a beautiful art form. Through this club, I was able to learn different regions and their distinct styles of dance. Some of these include Sinaloa, Veracruz, Yucatan, Jalisco, etc. Each region has different steps and “vestuario,” or clothing. For example, Sinaloa holds more of the traditional folklorico elements in the dresses, they are very colorful and flowy dresses. Meanwhile, Yucatan has a more box-like structure in the dress, they are not flowy, and are typically a satin white with embroidered flowers. The songs are also picked out depending on the region they pertain to. Performing with other Hispanic and Latino students has allowed me and many others to find a home and community here at USC.