CULTURE

Bajuni traditional dance “Kirumbidhi”(Stek Dance)


Kirumbidhi (Stek Dance) is the most popular traditional secular dance , in which two men move within a large circle of onlookers , threatening each other usin stylized motions with two large steks. Is a highly competitive stik dance which usually occurs during wedding celebrations . Two men step around the perimeter of a large clearing circle approximately sixty feet accros carrying stiks in their right hands . The stiks called “npweke” are over five feet long.

At first the men walks in a stylized fashion paying little attension to one another , but soon they turn and approach the centre of the circle. Occasionally one or the other strikes the ground with the stik . Finally one strikes the other’s stik a hard blow an then quicly holds the stik and his other arm infront of his own head as to parry a counterattack .

Each man does this until someone else enters the circle or until one of combattents runs to the edge and passes his stik to someone else . The instruments used in the Kirumbidhi Dance are : chapuo , ngoma , dhumari and utasa .