Dance in Zimbabwe - Background

Background

The Republic of Zimbabwe has a population is about 15.8 million people, the majority, about 76%, live in rural areas, with the remaining in or near cities. This is a very important detail in light of how many crops are produced by Zimbabwe: coffee, corn, wheat, sugar, tea, and cotton. This agricultural aspect of life is apparent in many of the dances they perform The official language is English, although the Muslim, Hindu, Bahá'í, and traditional ethnic religions are also practiced. There are at least 20 ethnic groups in Africa, the majority being Shona (about 5 million people) and Ndebele (about 2 million people). There is some division between these groups due to battles between the Shona and Ndebele people in the previous century. Each group has its own history, subculture, and political significance, yet they share many religious and cultural beliefs as well. Every aspect of their culture influences the dances in which they perform.

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