Shaking the Xibelani Skirt

Xibelani are knee-length skirts typically worn by adult Tsonga women. The skirt is made from a bolt (about 18 metres) of a fabric called salempore. Nowadays the skirts are sold in downtown Johannesburg and allow the wearer to have a round shape along the waist. Xibelani skirts are used for xibelana, an indigenous Shangaan dance that is customary for girls to learn. Girls are taught that in order to be proud of being Shangaan, they must learn how to dance it. The dance is performed by Shangaan women by tying xibelani around their waists and then shaking the waist. Xibelani dancing accompanies various Shangaan occasions such as Mkhinyavezo, ku chachula. It can also accompany male dances such as Makhwaya and Mchongolo. I don’t think that I got it quite right, but it was fun and funny!