You’ve heard of Dancing with the Stars? Well, how about Dancing with Bamboo?
OK, not the same thing at all.
But, I found this article about traditional bamboo dance from the Li people who live in Hainan Province, China.
The Li people number in the millions, with their own distinct identity which includes religion, language, and artistic traditions too. Their culture is a based on a folk-tradition, meaning that until recently, their language was not notated, just spoken. They live in a sub-tropical region of China, an agrarian culture with a great deal of emphasis on the arts. They are known for their skills as weavers, a tradition which is thousands of years old. And of course, their use of bamboo in traditional dance is famous.
In reading about the Li people, I found out that bamboo dance is not an isolated thing. There are other cultures in India (the Lushai people), as well as in the Philippines (the Sabah people - watch the video) that incorporate bamboo into their artistic traditions, specifically in dance. The dances are meant to be tests of athletic ability, and more specifically flexibility and coordination. In this sense, the use of bamboo in the dance makes it somewhat of a symbol of this, as well as a symbol of how central bamboo as a material is to their ways of life.
For us, bamboo is connected with how we view our environment too. Bamboo flooring sustainable, strong, and of course looks great. It’s looked upon as a green solution, and something of a symbol of responsibility when choosing flooring, or other building products. But for these cultures, there is an even greater connection, arguably. For them, bamboo provides shelter and materials for all manner of household items. But in incorporating bamboo into their traditions, it also ties their identity to their region. Culturally speaking, they are their environment. And for them it’s something to literally dance about.
Cheers!
Rob.
Bamboo dancers image courtesy of peigianlong
