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Eskista
Toni Williams
Dance Movement
Movement
The theme of Eskesta can be described as follows expressing certain emotions and
impressions from the life through a typical body movement dating back to an Ethiopian tribe,
performing these mainly with their heads and shoulders. Some of the ideas and themes in this
dance are actually inspired from the relations between the genders, work life and religion.
It also is said that this dance was invented because of the snakes. Ethiopian people were
often observing the dance/movements of the snake, shaking in the same way their neck.
Dance Space
Clothing
They wear traditional clothing made of woven cotton called gabi or netela,
they are mostly white with some colors and patterns. The clothes are free
and loose fitting.
Hallee Booth
Significance
Music
Different kinds of eskistas tell different stories or teach many different life lessons.
The eskista is danced to different types of music depending on what type of story the dancer
is trying to portray.
Some of the dances do use singing and chanting as another means of portraying the story.
Instruments
Hallee Booth
The traditional instruments that are often used are krar, flute, drums and mesenko.
Oppression of Slavery
Tyler Myers
Modern Oppression
Tyler Myers
How have stereotypes, bigotry, even legislation that has suppressed this group
-- and therefore their cultural expressions have been denied or changed?
Ethiopian name Eskista means actually Dancing shoulders; it is often practiced in the Northern parts of
Ethiopia. It has been discriminated and stereotyped within other african countries in many ways. One way
is that if you look at african dances Eskista is not even recognized as african dance. Eskista is so unique it
has a different twist and because of that a lot of other cultures within africa dont recognise it as one.
Some discrimination and corruption that has gone on among the Ethiopian culture is the current war
between Somali Terrorists and the people. Active terrorist groups often target those who fit the Ethiopian
culture. This forces Ethiopians to alter their appearance based on the norms of the Somalian culture.
Walking with people of the same gender and being able to lean on each other or hold hands
without people thinking that they are in a relationship. In the US, people doing this are seen as
being gay or lesbian so those types of actions are not encouraged for fear of giving off the
wrong image.
Not looking someone straight in the eye or having direct eye contact with people that are older,
teachers, and/or official elected people as a sign of respect. In US societies, not having direct
eye contact with someone is associated with that person having a low self-esteem.
They teach children that listen to others during discussions without interrupting and keeping
quiet is a sign of humbleness, politeness, and wisdom. Interrupting someone while they are
speaking, in any type of setting, is seen as a sign of disrespect. People in the US often
Hallee Booth associate this behavior, in children, as them having a mental disorder.
Hallee Booth
Lost in Translation
Tyler Myers
How does the dominant/privileged class acculturated the dance of this group?
These dances are dating 3000 years back in the African history. Now days Eskista dance
have been changing a lot to modern dances. The Eskista dance comes in various forms. The
dominant cultures often utilize pieces of the Eskista dance in their own dance. The
awareness of the cultures moves and styles often brings joys within the Ethiopian
community.
Indrias beyene
Toni Williams
Tyler Myers
Bhumika Adhikari
What We Learned
Sometimes when I think about racism its natural for me to think only about the
way white people have been racist in history. I realized while studying Ethiopia is
that people who consider themselves elite have built their power on the
justification of racism and a racial hierarchy. - Toni Williams
I learned that there are many gestures that mean different things in different cultures.
You cannot take things at face value and have to understand that things are different
for everybody. - Hallee Booth
Continued
I have learned to appreciate the history behind Eskista and the different variations of it. Dance is often
taking one idea, using it construct your idea and making a new dance. That is how dance evolves from
generation to generation. I have learned to appreciate that this group uses their own traditional Ethiopian
instruments. I tend to think that we really can't understand Ethiopian dance because behind the dance
movement there is a deep traditional culture behind it. -Indrias Beyene
Ans = Living in the United State, I have learned that each and every culture of particular society or community are equally important as comparing
to our own culture. Varieties of culture adds more and much more value to the culture and traditions of United State and its development. I
personally learned that culture of every community or every individual is their introduction and carries their value of life which no one can find
nowhere but in their own culture. If we want to live a meaning and valuable life here on Earth, we have to prevent and preserve our own culture
wherever we reside or whatever we do in our life.( BHUMIKA)