During the Grahamstown Arts festival I attended the show Ma Ravan, a show of ritual dance celebrating the fallen ancestors of slavery and struggle.
The show begins with a chanting of names of those that have fallen while fighting slavery and oppression. The names range from Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Senegal.
Beginning with a simple dance and then a slow introduction into the invitation of the ancestors. The climax is when they begin to unfold the pain behind the rituals and why they were created.
It is performed by four men who can sing, dance and actor.
The centre piece of the show is the ravanne, a drum which is found in all Indian Ocean islands, Eastern Africa, India and Sri Lanka.
A truly spectacular performance of ritual dance which received a standing ovation
Pic: Le Monde.Fr
