Riel dancers keep the tradition alive
DE DOORNS was a hive of activity as 30 teams of riel dancers descended on the Cape winelands town to celebrate a long-standing tradition of the Khoisan people in the Northern Cape in a regional riel dance competition.
The 13-year-old competition started with seven groups and has grown to 110 groups participating in three categories: Junior Under-14s, Junior Under-20s and Seniors.
The competition was one of several regional events, with the big finale taking place on December8 in Paarl.
The event was organised by the ATKV Heritage Foundation with the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM), Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport, and Breede Valley Municipality.
When the team from Prince Albert, the Prins Albert Vastrappers, were asked why they riel, Veneazel van Rensburg, 10, said: “Because we feel like it and it makes me happy.”
Claude Schroeder, the executive director for community development and planning services CWDM, said: “It is our pleasure to invest in our youth, and in so doing invest in economic development in our district. The municipality applauds the spirit of our youth as we lead into Youth Month.
Development
“The development of the youth extends into other projects such as our entrepreneurial seed funding, care packs for school-going girls, the extension of skills development through training, and growing our tourism industry through the support of formal and informal tourist-related businesses and activities.
“The CWDM invests in our youth as we know that they are our future.”
This lively style of dancing was born out of the traditional Khoi and San ceremonial dances that took place around a fire and celebrated the success of a good hunt or harvest.
This form of “storytelling” has been practised for hundreds of years by indigenous cultures in South Africa.
The tradition has been passed on by sheep shearers and farm workers in the Northern and Western Cape.
In the evenings after work there was traditionally time for dancing accompanied by a ramkie, or tin guitar.
Today, the dance is recognised as one of the oldest cultural heritage expressions in southern Africa.
It includes courtship rituals, mimicking the antics of animals like the meerkat, or snakes, along with lots of bravado, showmanship and foot stomping in traditional outfits.