Mr Zuza just back from Albania, he is getting good at seeking out interesting dance related things to please me! He has brought back some music with potential and some belts.
The belts prompted me to do a little research into the traditional dress and dancing of the country. Mark is returning next year so based on my findings I now have a shopping list for him.
We have just got a new shipment of jewellery in from Kashmir. It is a beautiful and carefully selected collection with a range of pieces a little different from the more often found Kuchi jewellery available.
The pieces include headdresses, earrings, necklaces and chokers. They are traditionally worn by the dancers of the region and will easily be incorporated into our Tribal costuming.
Here is a link to a great blog with a lot of information and photos about Kashmir if you are interested to find out more about it. http://www.searchkashmir.org/
The moment he saw her,
He re- arranged his veil,
He stopped, forgetting the road,
Until his friends became surprised.
They understood of course,
And told him he must be patient….
Before seeing her face,
He saw her rings, her tizabatines,
Her necklace of amulets.
He was sick with love….
TUAREG POEM FROM WASSYLA TAMZALI,
ABZIM: PARURES ET BIJOUX DES FEMMES
D’ALGERIE (1984)
Just back from Lewes having completed Collective Soul 2, the second level certification in the Gypsy Caravan format. It is such a joy being a student again, I learned so many new things as well as correcting old bad habits. Paulette is a generous teacher and a lovely person who shows a genuine interest in you as an individual.
Level 2 introduces new moves, variations and combos, along with more rhythms and zill patterns. We were assessed at the end of the course and given feedback on our performance. It was challenging, with my hybrid style background but stretched me in all the right directions and on the left leg! I am really looking forward to incorporating this new stuff into my practice and sharing it with my students.
Level 3 beckons, the next one is in Portland in the summer, I can but dream.
Danced in the rain at the Monument yesterday with some fabulous musicians raising money for Haiti. I added this terms collection of £160, which is a most excellent amount, to their Action Aid total.
So thanks yet again to all those who gave generously.
Angela x
The wearing of markings or decoration on the forehead has become wide spread, now worn by people of many cultures for many reasons or simply as a fashion item.
The word ‘Bindi’ is derived from the Sanskrit ‘bindu’ meaning a drop or round, it is an ornamental mark on the forehead. Bindi refers to the decorative stick on designs. In Asian culture when a mark is drawn there, it is called a “tilaka”. When there is a pendant dangling from a chain secured in the hair, it is called a “tikka”.
The mark is traditionally drawn by dipping the fingertip in red vermilion or kumkum powder and applying as round a dot as possible between the eyebrows. This spot is considered a major nerve point in the human body since ancient times and the location of the mystic third eye. This area is the site of the sixth chakra known as the ‘agna’ meaning ‘command’. It is said to be the seat of concealed wisdom, the centre point wherein all experience is gathered in total concentration. According to the tantric cult, when during meditation the latent energy (‘kundalini’) rises from the base of the spine towards the head, this ‘agna’ is the outlet for this potent energy. Wearing a red ‘kumkum’ between the eyebrows is said to retain this energy in the body and help control levels of concentration.
Tilaka are generally worn by religious men and married women. The look and color of them will depend on their beliefs as individuals, or which sect they are from, and what occasion it is. Vaishnavists generally wear vertical lines, where Shaivites generally wear horizontal lines, but, depending on local customs, all may wear a smudge of sandalwood, vermillion, or another colorful powder, when they have visited someone who wishes to give them a blessing or a spiritual gift.
Tikka are mostly worn for very formal occasions or weddings, though there are some that are made to be a little more casual.
The decorative bindi, has long been associated exclusively with Hindu women. In certain parts of India a red dot on the forehead is a sign of marriage. A bridegroom makes a ’tilak’ mark on the bride’s forehead as a sign of wedlock. When an Indian woman is widowed, she stops wearing the bindi. In some cases, during the husband’s funeral, the red kumkum powder once used for drawing the bindi is thrown on his body while it is wiped from his wife’s forehead. Many people associate the red bindi with the ancient practice of offering blood sacrifices to appease the Gods, so this may be an extension of that tradition.
The bindi is also said to ward off the evil eye in the form of demons or bad luck. It symbolises auspiciousness and good fortune. Considered a blessed symbol of Uma or Parvati, a bindi signifies female energy (shakti) and is believed to protect women and their husbands.
The earliest references to the bindi in literature were in the illustrations of third and fourth century texts showing Hindu women wearing them. It is assumed today that the bindi was used to distinguish women from different castes, if and by the way they wore them as well as what colour and shape they were.
Even in ancient times, bindis used to be not only red, but also white, yellow, brown and black, depending on the material they were made from – plants, seeds, fruits or soot. Red was always a colour considered auspicious and therefore used on most occasions.
The meaning of the bindi has not only shifted but got completely reversed over the centuries – from a mark of exclusion or exclusivity to a decorative (fashion) statement that unites women around the world.
When purchasing bindi, in order to be sensitve of other cultures, it is helpful to know what various symbols mean. Here is a list of common bindi shapes, and their meanings in Asian symbolism.
This article is by no means complete and I will have more to add as I research further. I also intend to look at other body adornments including tattoos placed in this significant position, as seen in North African Tribes and the inspiration for many a Tribal belly dancers make up.
Another thank you to all who donated to this terms charity ‘Just Because’. I sent a cheque off for £135.
‘Just Because’ is a registered charity aimimg to raise funds and promote awareness, prevention and early detection of breast cancer for women in Egypt.
Visit their website to see what your money is helping to do. www.justbecause.org.uk
The title was what first attracted my attention, then flicking through the illustrations. This is an academic study by cultural anthropologist Lars Krutak. It is the result of 10 years travelling the world researching indigenous tattoo practices. Here he documents the amazing women who have applied tattoos to the people of their tribes in traditions that stretch back thousands of years. It looks at each tribes spiritual practices and how they believed tattooing affected every aspect of their life, focusing as much on the significance of the tattoo as much as the process.
The book is a celebration of these women who held positions of respect within their societies but it is also a sad reminder of how the influence of the West has caused damage to their vibrant cultures.
This is a great book for those seeking knowledge of the roots of ethnic tattooing or those looking for design inspiriation.
ISBN 9781898948759
Lars web site www.larskrutak.com is well worth a visit, it has lots of well illustrated articles and links to keep you occupied for hours.
I received a big thank you which I need to pass on to all of you that contributed to our fundraising efforts last term! We raised £100.77 for Womankind. Take a look at their website to see what projects they are funding.
This term we are collecting for Just Because a charity started by UK Bellydancers to purchase a mobile breast scanner for Egyptian women. Have a look at their website.
FAQ
Many people coming to their first class ask “what should I wear?” Well the most important thing to me is comfort, so wear something you can move freely in. Trousers or skirt it does not matter. The full basic black Tribal Skirts are available from the souk as are exercise pants and tops. Something to tie round your hips is a good idea. It will help make you more aware of them. Having a belt with coins is a bonus but not essential, they add a percussive element to your dance as well as looking good! Foot wear is optional, avoid trainers and other heavy inflexible soles. I personally prefer bare feet unless the floor is rough. Dance slippers, jazz shoes, Irish soft or Scottish dance shoes work well with the costume.